To Be Or NOT To Be The Best You Can Be December 4, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Life Balance, Mindfulness.comments closed
While engaged in the internal debate about whether to leave the practice of law, I asked myself whether I would be willing to devote 40 hours a week for 3 years if I was guaranteed to become the BEST trial attorney . . . in the WORLD.
How’s that for aiming high?
The answer . . . NO!
I resigned the next day.
There is no need to be the best at something you don’t even want to be.
At this point, I’m not big on setting goals or making far-reaching resolutions. I prefer to go with the flow without any specific aspirations for the future.
At times, friends have been “annoyed” with my decision NOT to set goals for myself ~ they feel like we should always be REACHING for something just out of reach instead of being content with what we have, where we are.
If I say my goal is “to embrace uncertainty as the path unfolds before me” or “to be happy,” they get frustrated and insist that “everyone has to have goals.”
“I don’t.” 
Success, to me, involves embracing the Here and Now without trying to force anything.
If we’re too focused on reaching a set destination, we miss all the lovely detours along the way.
(Of course, if I hadn’t set goals earlier in life, I wouldn’t be where I am today.)
In like vein, I am unconcerned with leaving a lasting legacy ~ I stopped using an external yardstick to measure my actions years ago. We have as many reputations as acquaintances and none is accurate. I don’t much care what people think about me now, I expect I’ll care even less when I’m dead.
I use an internal barometer to govern my choices rather than choosing what to do HERE and NOW based upon what “they” might (or might not) think about me “down the road.”
That said, I still enjoy making people laugh and smile because seeing them smile makes ME feel good ~ my internal barometer lights up when they do!
To that end, we can “serve the world” by encouraging people to relax, smile, and be mindful of this moment.
We can listen to others and share what we’ve learned to help lighten their load, even if nothing changes but their perspective.
We can’t change the world, but we can inspire the world to change.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related posts: The Goal Behind All Goals * Reaching (Suzicate)
Spirit Lights The Way 