René Descartes sure got it right. “The simple meaning of the phrase is that if someone wonders whether or not he exists, that is, in and of itself, proof that he does exist (because, at the very least, there is an “I” who does the thinking).” (From Wikipedia)
Have you ever had one of those moments in which you wondered if you really exist . . . or has this life of yours just been a figment of your (or someone else’s) imagination?
Those are the times when we pinch ourselves just as a check in 🙂
Deep, weird stuff here, eh?
I think a lot about what MATTERS to people because I know that when folks focus more on what matters (The Vital Few 20%) more than “everything else” (The Trivial Many 80%), they are happier and more successful . . . That is: they PERFORM at a very high level.
This is less about what you DO than about where you FOCUS.
What you focus on expands!
Crank it up a notch . . . The high performance life also relies somewhat on having a feeling of importance – That we MATTER to other people.
Some folks call this “ego”. I just label it as being good old fashioned self-preservation . . . It’s just something we need as part of our innately gregarious nature.
We fulfill this need by seeking out places where and people who give us that warm and fuzzy feeling of being “IN”.
We love being “IN” our own stomping grounds with our own “peeps” because it is there that we get to focus on what matters to us without judgment from others who see us as being someone who matters to them.
Our gut is VERY good at putting us on notice if we are (or aren’t) in the right place with the right people.
Ignore your gut, and you may be inviting tumultuous times.
Is your current environment supportive of YOUR focus to the degree that you feel IMPORTANT?
Don’t ever forget “Cogito ergo sum”
You have the power to create that place and find the right people simply by tuning in to what matters to you . . . and keeping that focus no matter WHAT . . . and listening to your gut.
I’m just sayin’
Best,
b
This post comes at time when many folks are wondering about their current “station in life” . . . Here in Nashville, it’s been cold, clammy, cloudy . . . and it’s post-holiday . . . not conducive to buoyant frames of mind, and as I coach folks I notice many seeking a place in which they can have a sense of belonging – warmth – Just to prove that they really ARE.
Winter time (for me) is the optimal time for people to GATHER with and CELEBRATE the people in our lives who matter.