Motivation - How to Design a Life

"Have you ever felt like you've become the worst possible version of yourself?" - Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail"

Have you ever been relaxing at the movies, enjoying a nice lite movie, only to get blown away by a line said in passing?

That's what happened recently as my wife and I watched "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The couple are having an ongoing email courtship, exchanging messages in the wee hours of the night, when this question comes out of nowhere: "have you ever felt like you've become the worst possible version of yourself?"

And I thought we were just going to the movies.

I think the question is so striking because most of us have felt that way at some point in our lives. I know I have, and so have lots of the folks that tell me their stories every day.

Here's a story emailed to me (thanks Aunt Jan) that does a nice job of setting the stage for designing the kind of life you want:

"An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.

"This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It's the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today." ? Author Unknown.

I'll close with these two questions:

1 - Are you happy with the results of the attitudes/choices/decisions you've made that got you here?

2 - What do you need to do, beginning today, that will support you in being happy with the attitudes/choices/decisions you've made 3 months from now? six months? a year? 5 years? 10 years? and the rest of your life?

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

---

Ideas Abound - But Youve Got to Take Action

Whether you are aware of it or not, we are... Read More

Are You Lost or Are You Found?

It was one of those nights where the clock wasn't... Read More

The Simple Secret To Lasting Motivation

This is a key to lasting motivation and beating procrastination.If... Read More

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Lately, I've become super sensitive to the amount of excuses... Read More

Self-Esteem: You Matter

You'd be surprised. Maybe amazed. If you could see the... Read More

The Ultimate Kick-butt Motivational Lesson

How often have you struggled with yourself over the work... Read More

A Quick Observation of the Low Class

We can all learn a valuable lesson about the types... Read More

The Seven Keys to Motivation

Motivation. It's a complicated subject that is studied by many... Read More

Motivation: The Power of Action, Part 1

I've heard it said that 85% of success is showing... Read More

Book Summary: Self Motivation

Gail Lindenfield is a well-known British author who has written... Read More

The Art of Scripting Your Life

Writing a 'life script' is like writing a movie script.... Read More

The Easy Way To Lasting Self Motivation

Will power alone will never work over the long term.... Read More

The Downward Spirals Of Life - Top Ten Steps For Freeing Ourselves From

Some people call them vicious circles or cycles. I prefer... Read More

A Reality Practice

Suggested practice to gain freedom from self-limitation.It is suggested that... Read More

Regret or Passion? Which Will Be Yours?

I once attended a retreat on how to live with... Read More

Get Negativity Out Of Your Life!

They say that the way to have a positive attitude... Read More

Gremlins! Time to Take Control

It is a wonder we can function at all. Each... Read More

Nothing To Lose

I stormed out of the office and headed for the... Read More

3 Great Ways To Stay Motivated At Work

Staying motivated at work is easier than you think when... Read More

Don?t Let Motivation Cause You to Fail

Yesterday my teenage son Matt came home with a less... Read More

Live Life with Gusto

Life is a gift; live it with gusto everyday. Don't... Read More

You Can!

"There are only two ways of bringing brightness into your... Read More

Stretch!

"Only as high as I reach can I grow, Only... Read More

Desire + Action = Outcome ? Anxiety & Panic

This is my mathematical strategy I use to achieve everything... Read More

Why Do 9 Out of 10 People Never Live Their Dreams?

When we were kids we all had dreams. There were... Read More

Motivation: 3 Suggestions for Living a Life of Purpose, On Purpose

"There's so many roads that seem, To lead down to... Read More

Discover How to Stay Motivated and Be Successful

If you surveyed 50 people asking each their definition of... Read More

Decide

Where do you want to be in a year? In... Read More

What is Your Challenge

January is almost over.Why do most New Year's Resolutions fail?By... Read More

Passion and Purpose

Who are we, standing here on this planet, looking for... Read More

Challenge Yourself - Stretch Your Boundaries Daily!

Many times we fall into a sedentary lifestyle because we... Read More

If Not Now, When?

How many times have you made excuses for putting off... Read More

What Makes a Champion?

Imagine for a moment that you are a champion. You... Read More