Leadership by Choice: Increasing Influence and Effectiveness through Self-Management

Chapter 9

Fourth Quarter Living Decision Making

What's It All About?

What is it all about for you? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Have you ever asked yourself what you're working for? Obviously, you're working to pay the rent and other bills, but at the same time, what does your life consist of?

A speaker once asked his audience, “What are you running toward, and what are you running from?” That caused me to stop and think about doing things on purpose without being caught up in society norms. Too often we seem to get caught up in the rat race of trying to keep up with the Joneses, or we work late because that's what everybody else is doing. But we don't ask ourselves what it's really all about.

A friend recently told me that she had changed her whole lifestyle, her personal and professional life, and how she went about work. And this all happened because one day, she asked herself, “Am I living or just existing?” She felt she was just existing, so she made significant changes.

When we get to the fourth quarter of life, we begin to see that: “Maybe I should spend more time here. Maybe I need to adjust my priorities here. Maybe I was too focused on this. I really wish I had done that.”

If you find yourself caught up in the rat race or in some web of society, don't wait until the fourth quarter of life to start making important decisions. Start by asking yourself what your life is all about and then set good priorities in order to make good decisions.

Importance of a ...