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Carolyn Smagalski
Self Respect
Founder - Editor - Host
During a conversation with a few of my colleagues this
morning, I posed one of my favorite questions. This is a
particular favorite because the answers reveal such a variety
of thought. My associates willingly bare their dreams, fears,
ambitions, goals and ideals as their answers conjure up
thoughts of wild aspirations.
I have asked this question of you in one of my past articles,
but it is such an intriguing question that I have posed it in
a number of different ways in order to get a full smorgasbord
of imagery from my respondents.
The question is this: "Suppose you were given one million
dollars today. You have exactly one year to double it, or you
will lose it entirely. What would you do?"
It's a rather open ended question, isn't it?
I also like this one: "If you could do anything with your
life, and you did not have to worry about money, what would
you do?"
And this one: "What dream would you pursue, what goal would
you go after, if you knew you couldn't fail?"
Three interesting questions. Limitless responses.
Character revealing.
Define the parameters. Search for a good answer. You may
find that your path to success actually lies in the way you
answer those three questions.
Some of my associates initially answered with very hedonistic,
narcissistic creativeness. It did not take long, however, for
them to conclude that a sense of self-worth is vital to
happiness – and that happiness could not endure without the
benefit of being a contributing being in the universe. That
society might be deprived of your greatness if you chose to
sit in the darkness of a baccarat table, rather than
manifesting your talents.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, "Just trust yourself, then
you will know how to live." If you take the time to examine
your thoughts, you will be amazed at the dreams you actually
have. You will also discover that, if you are not living
those dreams today, you have been avoiding critical decisions
in your life, decisions that have kept you in a pseudo-comfort
zone, but detained you from your real purpose in life.
"What you choose to focus your mind on is critical because you
will become what you think about most of the time," said
author Noel Peebles.
Think about those three questions. Write down your answers.
Share them with three associates. Share them with
me. You may discover that you have been living your
life in a "reactive" way, rather than directing your life and
choosing your path in the "proactive" way that would give you
greater fulfillment.
Take time to examine and evaluate your answers, and to discuss
other ways in which you may have responded to these
thought-provoking questions.
Content copyright © 2003-2008 by Carolyn Smagalski. All rights
reserved. This content was written by Carolyn Smagalski.
If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need
written permission.
Contact Carolyn Smagalski
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