Motivational: To Be or To Do -- That Is The Question

To Be or To Do -- That Is The Question

Written by Miami Phillips

A reader wrote me this week saying she was lost, confused and was having difficulty finding out what she wanted to do with her life. Another similar email came repparttar

very next day. There seems to be a huge groundswell of people asking repparttar 123703

same question… “What do I do with my life?”

I would ask you this question…What would you BE in your life?

Somehow, someway, you have to BE you first, then you DO what you love.

To BE who you are sounds very simple, but it is not. All of us are programmed from a very early age to DO something so we can BE somebody. We learned that certain professions mean success, and others are not. Go to school! BE a lawyer, a doctor, or whatever it was in your town. We learned that money meant you could BE someone. After all, how could you BE someone unless you had a nice house, a nice car and belonged to repparttar 123704 right crowds?

To BE your Self requires action on our parts to ensure repparttar 123705 outside influences stay on repparttar 123706 outside. Being your Self means searching deep within to define what is most important to you (your values), and then consciously making every choice available based on those values. With time, we cannot help but BE who we are! Being who you are brings a confidence and helps to understand that where you are now is good. You realize a comfort in knowing there is no struggle to DO something so you can BE somebody.

Resolutions That Work

Written by Liz Sumner

What usually happens to your resolve in repparttar

New Year? Does it disappear before repparttar 123702

pine needles are even vacuumed? Do you spend more energy on excuses than on execution? Can you even remember your intention by Valentine's day?

Try something different this year. Take some time to think through your plan before jumping into action. Here are some guidelines that can help.

1. Downstream Self Imagine a vital, successful, and grateful you five years in repparttar 123703 future looking back and beaming with pride at your foresight. What are you grateful for? What seeds that you planted are now flourishing? What are you looking forward to in 2008? What are you glad you started in 2003?

2. Year in Review Where have you been over repparttar 123704 past year? Look at all aspects of your life-- work, recreation, friends and family, your environment. What made you happy? What successes can you build on? What were repparttar 123705 qualities that made them successful?

3. Brainstorm Now make a list of all repparttar 123706 goals you can think of. Remember repparttar 123707 rules of brainstorming-- all ideas count, repetition is okay, no judgment, repetition is okay, keep going when you come to a lull. You can prime repparttar 123708 pump with repparttar 123709 old standbys-- eat better, get more exercise, floss regularly, then add some wild ones-- try skydiving, learn to tap dance. Go for at least 26.

4. Who Cares Take a look at repparttar 123710 list and ask yourself which ones matter and to whom. Is it something you really care about or is there a big should attached to it? Whose voice is telling you it's important?

5. So What Now take only repparttar 123711 goals you care about and structure them with a "so that" phrase-- I will _____ so that _______. This is a critical step. It's repparttar 123712 rationale that gives you motivation. I will eat better so that I have more energy. I will eat better so that I don't have to take blood pressure medication. It also checks repparttar 123713 appropriateness of repparttar 123714 goal. Will doing this really give me that? I will eat better so that my partner will get off my case. What is your underlying rationale, and is it repparttar 123715 ultimate one? I want to get a new job so that I can make more money? And then so what? I want to make more money so that I can feel good about myself. If you honestly identify repparttar 123716 "so what" you can create goals that accomplish your actual purpose.

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