It’s one thing to have your natural likes and dislikes, interests and passions. It’s another thing to consistently live in agreement to the values you claim are most important.
I recently read a great book, where the author gives a powerful set of phrases on how he lives. The words were something like:
“I use to worry about not failing at the things I longed to succeed in. Now I worry about succeeding in things I really don’t care about.” (a paraphrase of Bob Goff)
I find those words reverberating true in my own life.
Each day I’m challenged to spend the bulk amount of my time working towards survival and success in priorities of a medium to low level. But then, the high level values I touch on maybe once or twice a week.
In one sense, this is just how life is right? You can’t always do the things you love, or find most important. The mundane always need attention.
But imagine the extent of living this philosophy over a lifetime? The disparity in contrasting ability will be catastrophic We can become experts in survival, and forever a novice in our priorities and passions.
Let me put it a different way.
As I mentioned above, in my life.. I have found a way to give WEEKLY time to touch on all of my highest priorities. But, nevertheless, I spend DAILY time working in the basic needs of life. And with that, every thing I work on daily improves exponentially compared to the items I touch on once or twice a week.
So I think the take away is: Any activity or area truly important; things you value and want to perfect or grow in needs daily attention. Not likely hours and hours… and maybe not seven days a week, but perhaps 4-6 days a week. And maybe 15-30 minutes a day to start. But it needs consistency which will eventually turn into momentum.
Unless you’re fine with becoming an expert at the unimportant, you need a lifestyle shift that aligns with the person you really want to be.