2 Important Questions To Ask Yourself Right Now
To build some context around these 2 questions, I want to start with a short poem. You may have read it before, it's quite common. I like it a lot because it challenges the reader to examine life in this way. Here it is:
My Wage by J.B. Rittenhouse
I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening when
I counted my scanty store.
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.
It's nice right? Now, before I ask these questions you'll want to get a pen and paper close. Writing the answer down is significantly more effective than merely answering in your head.
Let's begin:
Is the wage you're asking of life enough?
In other words...
Are you asking everything you desire out of your life? On your last breath, will you be satisfied with what you asked for? With what you pursued?
We often get caught up in day to day struggles. Just surviving. Desperately holding our head above water and preparing for the next wave. We lose sight, forget, or ignore the desires and adventures we once dreamed of pursuing because they seem WAY to far away. We begin to see it as a waste of energy and time.
It may seem childish or naive but it's far from it. The significance lies in reigniting your faith. Holding the belief that you can achieve anything you want in this life will take you much farther and make you much happier than burying the child inside (or not listening) because the task feels out of reach. Dream big and set no boundaries.
The above questions' purpose is for you to examine whether you are asking everything you truly desire out of your life. The second question is to challenge you a bit further on your life's vision BUT, to work correctly, it requires an honest answer. Make sure to contemplate your answer to the first before moving on to the second.
Are you bearing the task?
OR
Are you executing the necessary actions, behaviors and habits for your "desired" life?
If you answered the first with something like "I want to be making $1 million dollars per year" OR "I want to lose 20 lbs" then you must think about what lifestyle those results require and answer the above. If your answer is currently NO, then, are you willing to change your lifestyle and execute the necessary actions to achieve it?
Lot's of people want a dream life but very few want the work associated with it. You must have the courage to answer these questions honestly because if you can't, your expectations of life will always be out of reach and, without reconciliation, this will cause you lots of anxiety, stress and frustration. You don't need to have massive ambitions, you just want to align your actions with your expectations. Here's a quote I recently heard from the author Steve Siebold that outlines this well:
"The great ones' habits, actions, and behaviors are totally congruent with the size and scope of their ultimate vision."
Remember, to see the true benefits of this, write your answers down! The power of examining your life with a pen and paper is unparalleled. Also if you enjoyed this post sign up for my newsletter! It's filled with content to help you think better, work better, and live better!