Do I want your life?

Do I want your life? This is more than a fair question to ask, but rather a necessary one, not to compare yourself to others, but rather to anchor on the possibilities for yourself based on theirs. For the sake of the conversation, let me double down on the latter half of the statement above and say that to compare yourself with others is often a theft of happiness when you look at your current circumstances from a perspective of deficiency rather than one of opportunity. Understand: You shouldn’t be ignorant and oblivious to the direction you are heading in your career. Often this anchor comes from the power of proximity of those around us and the limited but influencing and impactful visibility we have in their lives. Someone’s life may seem ideal for you and their style of influence and leadership can inspire you – this is wonderful.  Other times, it’s the opposite. And that’s OK. Consider: Building an ability to audit personal satisfaction through conversation and interaction. Rather than focus on what a person in power is saying, focus on what they are feeling beyond the subject matter itself.  If this person was on mute and you were disengaged from the subject; would they appear content with their lives? Would they be pleased with the accomplishments they have made in their careers? How would you perceive their character if you did not know them? Acting like a stranger to what you interact with, gives you new perspective and can often be the most objective. Do I want your life? This is a subjective question but asking it can be quite telling. I’m personally one that believes that the quality of our lives is dependent on the quality of relationships we have. When I look at people I aspire towards, I look it from the lens of the relationships they have with their peers, teams, friends, and family. What is one primary quality you value in people? What individual do you interact with today that lives out this quality? Do you aspire to have more of those qualities yourself? Remember: Achievement and Failure are based on the goals you set out for yourself. No one has more control over this than you. And so when you see someone who has appeared to “achieve,” ask what this really means to you – you may be surprised to see this person’s life (and your own) very differently after doing so.