The Pursuit of Happyness?

Life happens…and rarely according to plan.

If that is true, why plan?

We are at the beginning of a new year. This is the most popular time of the year to set goals, make resolutions. Our obsession with the “new year” is not actually new. The ancient Babylonians were observing New Years Day 4000 years ago!

Resolutions aren’t new either. Ancient Babylonians were obsessed with returning borrowed farm equipment. Ancient Romans sought forgiveness from their enemies. Today our focus is on more health related goals like losing weight, exercising more, and quitting smoking.

As a coach and trainer, the beginning of the year has always been the peak time of the year to encourage my clients to craft a clear and dynamic personal vision, set goals, and then together we’d clearly define a series of actions to support the achievement of these goals. Sound familiar?

Then I would talk about the fundamental need of creating a “blueprint” or a “roadmap” to follow.

Anyone ever hear the phrase “without your own life map, you’ll end up part of someone else’s life plan?

Today while I agree with the basic core principles of the value of creating a good plan, I think it is so much more important to learn to ask yourself the right questions first.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates

Many times over the years, I have participated in self development seminars with well-known gurus advising us to write out 101 life goals…can you imagine writing 101 life goals in an hour or two? I can’t even remember what I wrote down-- and I’ve done this exercise at least three times! Too rushed, no reflection, therefore not much meaning attached to the list of goals.

Today? Well today, I sent out an email to my team and kept rewriting the content a few times before I just wrote the truth. I wrote…”These first few weeks of the New Year, have been very busy for me, I’ve been busy thinking.

Thinking? Busy thinking? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

I can just imagine the perplexed expressions on their faces as they read that sentence over a few times!

People don’t take the time to really think about what they want to create in their lives.

Statistics prove this point; I just heard on the Oprah radio news today, that on January 24th each year, more people have the blues than any other day. January 24th is also known to be the gloomiest day of the year! Why?

Many people start the New Year with great intentions, great optimism and great resolutions. January 24th is the day that 80% of Americans have already broken their resolution. They realize it just isn’t going to happen, so they give up trying because they believe nothing will change in their lives.

This is only the 3rd week of January! What a startling and very sad statement of the current reality facing millions of people in their lives.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint! To enjoy the journey, start over each time you have a “false start”!

If you are one of the 80% who are disappointed by your performance since you rang in the bells of a new year-- don’t give up! Decide today that February 1st or even March 1st, is the beginning of your new year.

In previous articles, I have mentioned that I have recently started working and collaborating with Richard Leider, of the Inventure Group and in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Together, we are involved in the “Working on Purpose Project.” Richard has written the Saving or Savoring article in this issue. For a fascinating read by one of the greatest thought leaders in the world today, I suggest you read the article!

Richard refers to the “hurry sickness” engulfing our society today. I heartily agree with Richard’s premise that many people today will immediately improve the richness of their journey in life when they start asking themselves the right questions.

Next month, in part two of “The Pursuit of Happyness”, I will discuss the questions to start asking yourself… here is one of them:

“Are you having fun?”

Take the time to reflect on and answer the questions, then you will begin the process of designing your life, discovering your dreams and the pursuit of happyness will become your reality.

“A dream is a wish your heart makes.” Disney

Elizabeth Harrington is a "Working On Purpose" coach and facilitator. She is honored to be a founding member of the Working On Purpose GUILD with Richard Leider of the Inventure Group and the University of Minnesota. She is thought a leader yet evolving student of the network marketing industry and has been passionate about helping others achieve their dreams and goals for more than a decade.

After initially working her way up through the corporate executive ranks with Xerox, on to a senior government post in Toronto, Canada, then spending the past decade exploring the rollercoaster ride as an entrepreneur with Unicity International, Elizabeth is uniquely prepared to understand the demands of each career role as well as the best practices required for extreme success.

Elizabeth was married in Maui, Hawaii 2 I/2 years ago to Tom Spindler. Together they are living a balanced happy life in a suburb of Minneapolis MN, where frequent visitors are bunnies, deer, and possum! She and Tom escape to Maui as often as they can to enjoy their Pacific paradise! Following her passion of being the best leader and mentor she can be, she and Tom are currently becoming certified as Master Coaches and becoming part of the Purpose Project at the University of Minnesota (it's going to be all about vital aging over the next 2 decades) Find out more about Elizabeth by going to her website: ElizabethHarrington.com