Ask yourself this:
When you are 100 years old and look back on your life, what would make you say your time was well spent?
We love asking questions of people. It’s an easy way to cut through the clutter in their minds to get to the very heart of things. Questions can help us understand people and allow them to truly understand themselves.
This particular question shines the light on how one defines success. While learning the answer to this question may not, by itself, change your behavior, it is a good start. When embarking upon change or growth, it is important to understand where you place true value.
Some people spend their lives striving for a goal, only to realize that they never really wanted the goal once it arrived. Don’t fall into the “once … then …” trap. Once the kids leave the house, I’ll … Once I have $X dollars in savings, then I’ll … Don’t create arbitrary barriers for you to start living a life where you find value and meaning.
How do you define time well spent? How does this question impact you? Did your idea of success change? Did you identify additional facets of your existing definition of success?
Here are a few well-known quotes that address this very thing:
- When you look back at life, you won’t regret the things you did, only the things you didn’t do because you were playing it safe.
- I know that when I’m old, I won’t regret not putting in more overtime at work.
- You only live once; make it count.
