Did I Live? Did I Love? Did I Matter?
Could these be our final life questions? Or could they be useful questions wherever you are in your life.
I was sitting outside on a beautiful day waiting for a close friend to call me back when I stumbled upon a Marie Forleo interview with Brendon Burchard. She was interviewing him about his latest book “The Charge”.
I’m not sure how the universe puts things in front of you just when you need to hear them, but needless to say, I found a lot of what he said quite inspiring. And in my hope to be of service to all my readers, I thought I would pass on some of the insights I came away with. If you’re wondering what this has to do with anything my work is about, I’m thinking this could be relevant to design, productivity and living well in general.
I am devoted to serving my clients and making a difference in their lives. I see how a home that allows people to function in the world with ease and reflects who they are can change their lives. Making this happen makes me very happy.
How do we get to the bigger things we want to accomplish in life?
Burchard talks about the drives in our lives that move us forward. Having a space that represents who you are is very basic but it helps to support us through all the changes and challenges that we move through on a day-to-day basis. Your space is a reminder from minute-to-minute who you are. It supports your ability to create. It gives you the courage to talk about what you really want for your life. Take a look around yourself now. Is what you see what you want to see?
What projects have you started and finished lately?
Most of us, myself included, might have 4 or 5 projects we are working to complete. Research is showing that working on a project from start to completion is one of the things that gives us confidence, moves us forward and makes us most happy. I can tell you that starting a project and finishing it is one of my best rewards.
Managing the interruptions.
Burchard coins the term “Browser Blackout” to describe the effect that all the electronic interruptions have on us. We all know that if we keep checking our phones for email, texts, etc. we never get anything else accomplished. Thinking of your inbox as someone else’s organizing agenda might make it easier to start taking your time back. Research shows it takes an average of 40 minutes to return to the project you abandon once you dive into that browser or your email inbox. If you’re working on a project that requires your creativity, it could take even longer. Our minds do not work well with constant interruption. Block your time. Put your phone on airplane mode. Watch your productivity soar.
I generate energy.
We are responsible for what we give our attention to. The drive for consciousness is always asking the questions, “What shall I be thinking now in order to serve?”; “Where shall I focus my thoughts right now?”. If the goal is to live a bigger, fuller, more expanded life, these are great questions to ask yourself every day:
Did I Live?
Did I Love?
Did I Matter?
I can’t wait to read the book! “The Charge” by Brendon Burchard.