The Doing of the Don’t's…
Here’s a quote that is so contrary to the “If You Dream It…It Will Be,” chant that it might actually make you mad. I know this because I shared it with some like-minded business buddies years ago…and I got several email lectures telling me what an idiot I was for sending it.
It’s from Victor Frankl…a concentration camp survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning
Don’t aim at success-the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.
Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success; you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will see that success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think of it. ~Victor Frankl
I find that if you switch up happiness and success in this quote it is equally compelling.
If you’re like me a not small amount of pressure is lifted after reading his approach. It sounds so easy…and I think it’s supposed to be. Chances are if you don’t feel a bit lighter then you didn’t fully digest it…so read it again and again until you do. I promise…it will happen.
A few of my own “Don’t”s:
I like the idea of having a “To Don’t” list instead of a “To Do” list. We spend so much time doing that we miss days, weeks and months and then look back and ask, “Where did the time go?” Maybe we should give don’ting a try for a change. Here’s a few of my own to get us started:
Don’t spend every day trying to find your way to a better tomorrow. It will burn you in the end because the life you are living now will slip by virtually unnoticed. You will miss things…little things…that collectively make up your life. Once these days are gone…they’re gone. Don’t forget that.
Don’t want a different life so bad that you lose touch with your reality. It will make you miserable and you don’t deserve that. Change happens whether you want it or not…so don’t work so hard trying to force something that comes naturally.
Don’t deny where you are so completely that you fail to acknowledge all the good things that are happening to you…and because of you. Notice the positive parts of your life…even if you are in a dark spot right now. It will get you through the rough patches.
How about you? Can you think of any don’t‘s that might help other people live a better life and make the most of their Thirty Seconds? Take a moment right now and share them.
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The first “don’t” that comes to mind is:
Don’t take things personally. It is rarely about us anyway. We then end up spending too much time in our head trying to figure someone else out, which of course takes us out of the present….
Amen to that, Meg. Our minds are so tricky aren’t they?
Don’t get caught up in other people’s opinions – live your authentic life.
Oh, and of course, Don’t eat yellow snow.
Dan…shoot! I completely overlooked that last one! Thanks for having the presence of mind to add it.
Not get caught up in other people’s opinions? Imagine what a life would be like if we could actually do that. (Provided we aren’t out to hurt anyone…)
Thanks for the input…
A
Hi Andy! Here are a couple of my “To Don’t” list:
Don’t worry so much about those couple of pounds you could gain by eating your favorite dessert once in a while. Savour every single piece of it!!!
Don’t be so serious all the time. Life doesn’t have to be perfect! Get some play time… Enjoy yourself!
And Keep smiling!
Hey Evelyn,
I especially like the “don’t be so serious all the time.” That is rampant isn’t it? People (myself included) take things so personally…like the smallest inconvenience is a personal attack.
You keep smiling, too!
I only had time to read the first quote and not the rest of the post but — I couldn’t agree more. Just sitting around thinking about life and happiness will never make anyone happy.
You gotta live. You gotta be driven and dedicated… get out there and make a difference in someone else’s life…
Agnes…so good to see you back! We do have to live…and not think too much along the way. Stay in touch…
A