Are you doing what makes you happy right now?

Are you making the moment excellent right now?

Are you feeling relaxed and fulfilled with your direction?

Answering those questions is about making an assumption you KNOW what makes you happy.   You KNOW what makes a moment excellent and fulfilling.

Some people feel there is no greater joy in life than helping others.  Later on down the pike some of those same people reach a pivotal moment when they decide, “The hell with this! These people don’t appreciate my hard work and efforts.” So a life that’s been based on providing service and kindness to others results in burn out and feelings of disappointment and resentment.

So, first it’s about struggling to figure out what change they need. What will make them feel happy and fulfilled.  Challenging when your entire adult life has been about service to others and not about even tuning in to what you want.

I’ve also met people who spend twenty plus years doing something – a demanding career.  Finally they decide with alarming clarity that not only are they unhappy with how they spend those forty plus hours a week – they’ve NEVER been happy the entire time.  What?

That seems almost impossible to me.

Tennis champion Andre Agassi came out with a book earlier this year about his life.  He was interviewed by a radio station here in Las Vegas where Agassi makes his home.  I was stunned when he very firmly said he hated tennis.  He never enjoyed tennis.  His Dad forced him to play tennis as a kid. Can you imagine what a struggle that had to be for him?  That blew me away.  How does someone become recognized as great and reach the pinnacle of success and they don’t even enjoy what they do?  That notion goes against every fiber of my being.

Ever since my Dad passed away in April of this year I’m more acutely aware than ever of whether my day is fulfilling, happy and excellent. Am I making positive changes?  Or, did the hours just get away from me doing dumb, catch-up stuff.  Or worse, did I spend an entire day putting out fires?  Every day seems more important and urgent than ever. At day’s end I ask:

Did I do what made me happy today?

Did I have a few moments of excellence?

Do I feel relaxed and fulfilled with my direction?