24 Apr Happiness and productivity parrallels
It’s been while but from time to time I’ve shared with you some of Lou Tice’s wonderful musings and tips. Only occasionally does he refer directly to happiness but I often find that his messages on self-development, success and other topics are very relevant to those of us interested in positive psychology and the creation of happiness. So once again I bring you Lou’s writings and once again, I invite you to consider how his thoughts on being more productive might also be useful for finding more happiness.
Winner’s Circle Network with Lou Tice – 4/23/08 – “Being More Productive”
If you’re busier than you like to be, but feeling less productive, then read on.
I have a question for you? How busy are you these days? Now, here’s another
question: How productive are you? As most of us know, the two just aren’t the same. All too often, being busy may have nothing at all to do with the results we get and what we achieve.
We spend our days, often very long days, in a flurry of activity. But, when the day or week is over, we’re disappointed at the level of our accomplishment. Our disappointment creates stress and we push ourselves even harder to “get more done.” But pushing hard isn’t the answer.
What is? Well, in my experience, a sense of priorities based on a clear purpose and well-defined short- and long-term goals are what is needed. The world is full of people who are definitely in motion, but they’re not exactly sure where they’re going and they don’t know why, either. Maybe they get going so fast that they never take the time to figure it out. If that’s your situation, I strongly urge you to set aside some time for personal reflection, some personal values clarification and goal-setting.
There’s nothing like a strong sense of purpose, based on clearly spelled out values, to keep you moving. But more than that, it keeps you moving in the right direction. Without it, you can climb the ladder of success all right, but when you get to the top, you may find that it’s leaning against the wrong building!
Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute
www.thepacificinstitute.com