We live in a time when access to people all around the globe and information is as easy as opening an app on our phones. Thinking about nationalities is a dying breed – we’re all global citizens now.
While there’s a lot of negativity around the use of mobile phones and how society is being turned into ‘walking zombies’; I believe they’re still important.
It’s not the device that’s the problem; it’s how we decide to let it run our lives that is.
Anything in excess is bad; it’s why it’s vitally important for children to be educated about balance.
So should we adults not be educating ourselves about balance as well?
Times change so rapidly, most people prefer to ignore the change and pretend it’s not happening; but just as tax lawyers and accountants need to keep current with changes every year – so too do we need to keep up with changes in the modern world. In fact, we should be proactive about what the future holds.
Ignorance is not an excuse.
Every person on this planet is responsible for themselves: their happiness; their successes; their character. When we blame others for our circumstances we give away the one thing that’s our prized possession – our power.
Yes, people are born into more challenging circumstances than our own, granted, and that’s where the onus is on us born into an ‘easier’ life to work together for the betterment of all humankind.
The reality is, no one’s guaranteed an easy path in life. How many people with tons of money end up in worse positions than they started in? Or are just plain miserable? That’s because there’s a word lacking in today’s culture that people should ultimately be striving for:
Fulfillment. The feeling of being happy and satisfied. A full heart filling the mind.
We could die at any moment. That’s a fact. In that moment before you leave this earth you’ll have a chance to think about everything you wanted to achieve and how completing them made you feel; then – and in that final moment. Why wait when you can imitate that right now?
Take a moment to reflect how you feel at this exact moment about your life.
I’m sure you’re thinking about moments you were doing something. Taking action on what you love. Things your heart told you to follow.
Not what you had thought about.
Most of us confuse being busy with being a doer. Hiding behind a screen or keyboard definitely does not make you a doer.
Where can you start?
My dramatic shift in life happened when I made a decision based out of love; and not fear. When I started listening to my heart and allowed synchronicity to show me the power of doing just that. When I chose retrenchment rather than a paycheck to pursue something greater.
You don’t have to wait until something dramatic happens to you. Read books from people who have done just that and taken action on their dreams and learn from them. Don’t just be inspired – be inspired to act. Understand that even pursuing your dreams brings uncertainty and doubt around ‘should I carry on?’. Am I terrified about my new path? Absolutely. But boy am I excited about my future like never before.
Watch interviews with Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, JK Rowling. Find as many as you need until you understand this one major principle:
They all took action and listened to their hearts and kept trusting their gut (intuition).
What can you do to move into the ‘doing’ heart space? Think about:
1. How many ideas have you had this past week and how many have you acted upon?
2. Write down who your closest people are and whether they are talkers or doers?*
3. Who/What do you follow on social media? Are they positive role models on taking action?
4. Do you write down the ideas you have? Places you want to see? People you want to meet?
*I’ll tell you a secret that makes this easy to spot. Start becoming a doer and you’ll rapidly see who the talkers are around you.
Create accountability.
Put a marker down detailing when you’d like to achieve something, that way the years don’t continue to roll by.
I remember wanting to visit New York. It was one of three major cities that, for some reason, I always wanted to see. The other two were Paris and Rome, cities I ticked off in one European vacation back in 2005.
I’d never put down when I wanted to see New York and in 2012 – still had no plans in place. Enter the universe giving me a kick up the pants and one of the happiest phone calls I could ever receive:
“Andrew – I’m engaged, we plan on getting married in July next year and I want you to be my best man”
This was one of my great friends, Koos living in Aberdeen South Dakota, USA.
I’d never dream of missing his wedding, never mind miss an opportunity at such an honour. I agreed without hesitation and immediately, put plans in place to spend three weeks in the states and – you guessed it – stop over in New York.
Lessons from Travelling.
That stick in the ground gave me the impetus to make it happen. To plan the length of my stay and how much I’d need. To this day, it’s one of my all time greatest holidays and I learned some valuable lessons about travelling:
1. It’s the best opportunity to follow your heart every day and explore where it takes you. I’ve never been lead astray. In fact, my best experiences are the unplanned days doing this.
2. Three weeks is a great length holiday to maximise the long haul flights.
3. Splitting it into three equal weeks, doing something different in each is also a great way to maximise seeing what you want to. I.e. a week in New York gave an opportunity to fully immerse myself in the culture and city itself.
4. Poor exchange rates are just an excuse – you always find a way to make it work.
My challenge to you: Pick the top destination you’d love to see before you die. Depending on how far it is, decide the length needed to maximise the experience – and book a date now!
One of the best feelings in the world is the build up of anticipation before your trip. A month out; a week out; a day out; the moment your bum hits the seat in the aircraft – its all like being a child on Christmas eve again.
These are feelings you’ll never forget and fuel your excitement and enthusiasm for life. It gives us an understanding of tapping into our ultimate humanity.
I carry these memories with me up the mountain, making me smile at every step no matter what the weather or discomfort I may be in. Even better, I’m meeting people in Cape Town from the countries/cities I’ve visited and we share our travel stories while immersed in the beauty of one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Travel stories connect us on another level where words need not be spoken – the twinkle in our eyes says it all.
The funny thing is, once you start down the path of listening to your heart and becoming a doer – its a fantastically slippery slope and ‘doing’ happens without needing to motivate it any more.
You have a thought born out of feeling.
You put plans into action.
Then you speak about it.
That’s how you change your world. And then?
That’s how you change the world.
Andrew Patterson is climbing Table Mountain every day for a year, in an effort to rally global citizens and positively empower a million people in 2018. To get involved click here:
