What Is Driving Your Success?
Ooh, man, do I love to learn — and I bet you’re the same way. And, there are times when we’re learning for the wrong reasons.
When you need specialized knowledge to accomplish a task (like learning CSS, NVC, or intuition), or you’re just curious about something (flamenco guitar, 17th century naval frigates, or how to grow better cucumbers), then learning lifts you up. The more you learn, the more full you feel, and the richer your life becomes.
But when you’re learning something new because you feel deficient as a person without it, “less than”, or are driven by a compulsion to appear better than someone else, then you might as well be trying to fill in the Grand Canyon with a teaspoon. Because no matter how much knowledge you accumulate, you’ll never feel full.
And here’s the kicker: the same lesson applies to learning as it does to material wealth, food, affection, or just about anything you can think of.
Why? Because it’s not about the stuff. It’s about the intention driving you.
- True intent: curiosity, fun… specialized knowledge to accomplish a task… genuine hunger.
- False intent: believing you’re deficient… needing more to be okay… comparison-driven desires.
What’s the big deal? Why does this matter?
When your actions are driven by false intentions, it’s like trying to feed an insatiable hunger. No matter how much you learn (or earn, or eat), the hole of that fear can never be filled in.
Not to mention the time, energy, and resources spent trying to fill in the hole that could be better spent enjoying the rest of your life.
So what do you do?
When you find yourself off on another wild goose chase, ask yourself, “WHY am I doing this? What am I hoping to gain?” That is, if you succeed, what will that give you?
If you’re fueled by true intent, the answer will be something like, “Because it brings me joy,” or, “Because I’ll be able to do what I couldn’t do before.” And the feeling behind the words will be one that lifts your heart.
If you’re being driven by false intent, however, the answer will be something like, “Because then everything will be okay,” or, “Then I can relax and just enjoy myself,” or, “Because then I’ll be enough,” or, “Because then so-and-so won’t get ahead of me” (Whoa — she’s going down in smoke!). And the feeling behind the words will be one of stress, pressure, compulsion, or fear.
(If you need some help in shifting from false to true, this would be a great place to start…)
The driver is the key
We’re all driven by something in life. The more clear you are about what’s driving you, the more you’ll be able to not only be effective, but find the peace and fulfillment that life offers within every opportunity.
Potentially related posts:
Importance of Self-Confidence in our Life
Success | Follow These Top 5 Most Important Things
The One & Only Antidote For Failure