Are you doing what matters most to you?
Not what makes you happy in the moment, but rather, what really drives your life and gives it meaning.
Researchers found a meaningful life and a happy life overlap in certain ways, but are ultimately different, reports Emily Esfahani Smith in The Atlantic about a study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology that examines self-reported attitudes toward happiness and meaning.
- "While happiness is an emotion felt in the here and now, it ultimately fades away, just as all emotions do," wrote Smith. "The amount of time people report feeling good or bad correlates with happiness but not at all with meaning. Meaning, on the other hand, is enduring. It connects the past to the present to the future."
- Another study confirmed this, she said. "People who have meaning in their lives, in the form of a clearly defined purpose, rate their satisfaction with life higher even when they were feeling bad than those who did not have a clearly defined purpose."
Stewart Emery and his co-authors of the book Success Built to Last interviewed the world's most successful people to distill exactly what drives them, and it's pretty simple.
- "Above all else, no matter where they have chosen to excel—in business, the arts, sports, social service, community, or family—each has achieved success by focusing on the things that matter most to them," Emery said.
- "Enduringly successful people follow their hearts, aligning their thoughts and actions with their passions," said Stewart, who co-created the Success Built to Last Paraliminal. "They become energized by their work and stay on purpose and committed in the face of setbacks and challenges."
Imagine those three elements—meaning, thought, and action—as the primary colors of enduring success. When the primary colors of red, blue, and green overlap, they create a bright, white light, a target that is easy to see.
To create a life that matters to you, reflect on the following:
- What gives your life meaning? What brings you the greatest joy? Loving what you do and who you are is the greatest motivator for building lasting success.
- Are your thoughts toxic or supportive? Are negative thoughts, self-doubt, or the criticism of others drowning out that voice inside of your head—that whisper or "silent scream" telling you what really matters? Learn to responsibly manage your thoughts in ways that keep you on track to your goals, despite obstacles or burdens you will undoubtedly face.
- Are you taking action? What are you doing to bring you closer to your goals or attract into your life people and activities that will support you? While meaning drives success, meaning without action will get you nowhere.
When you align your thoughts and actions with what gives your life meaning, you magnify your passion and impart greater clarity to your purpose than ever before.
To better understand what truly gives you satisfaction and reinforce your commitment and resolve to get it, listen to the Success Built to Last Paraliminal in the MINDTRX app.
Simply push play, close your eyes, relax, and listen. This closed-eye process activates your "whole mind" with a precise blend of music and words to help you get the most out of every minute.
