Don’t Go Another Day Without These 4 #NoMatterWhats
What should you be committed to #NoMatterWhat?
It’s a question I get asked by people from nearly every company and every conference I work with. I’ve been doing this for a while now and I’ve noticed some trends. Through keynote speaking to hundreds of thousands all over the world and asking them what’s important – I’ve found that critical #NoMatterWhats boil down to four main categories: Health, wealth, relationships and ultimate (don’t worry, I’ll explain this last one in a minute).
Health.
If you don’t have your health, what do you really have? As I’ve heard a good friend of mine and founder of 100 Things, Seb Terry, say many times… the safety instructions on an airplane tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first in case of emergency. Only then should you help those next to you. You have to be able to take care of yourself first before you can meaningfully support others. Your health is a huge part of that. Commit to a lifestyle or goals regarding mental health, physical health, emotional health and even spiritual health. It’ll be the building blocks for whatever comes next.
Wealth.
Whether we’re talking about your business, your career, or a number in your bank account, we all can and should have wealth goals, both short and long term. It doesn’t have to be limited to what you earn or what you save, but when committing to something in the realm of wealth – consider both what you have and what you give.
Relationships.
Nobody (nobody that I know of at least) operates in a vacuum. We’re all surrounded by a network of family and friends, co-workers and community. And the quality of those relationships, notes Jen Maser citing Harvard research in her paper for a Syracuse University campus article, is the single biggest predictor of our happiness — more so than business success, physical health, wealth, status or fame. The people around us really matter. Consider both committing to goals, dreams and aspirations with those people and for those around you.
Ultimate.
Health, wealth and relationships are all in the tangible realm. This kind of #NoMatterWhat is decidedly different (and the most important). One of my teachers, Richard Condon, introduced me to the teachings of theologian Paul Tillich, who writes about what he calls ultimate goals (or as he would call them, concerns) — things that no matter what happens, they can never be taken away from us. They transcend the minutia of our day-to-day lives and are the drivers of our values and core beliefs. Ultimate goals are things like love, generosity, joy, excellence (not perfection) and spirit. When we commit to these things, it can transform every area of our lives with the power to turn pain into peace, embarrassment into generosity and worry into resilience. Think about what happens when you bring love into an argument… Joy into a problem at work… even generosity into a budget shortfall… As Tillich suggests, it’s these things that are most important to every one of us. Commit to them.
If you’re so inspired, share with me what your #NoMatterWhats are HERE and join countless others in the process. Commit to one thing via the link or several, but I’d invite you to commit. There are a number of ways to commit (here are 3 of them), but sharing them with me and with others is one of the most powerful.
I have to tell you too, what you should, could, or will try to do won’t make much of a difference.
It’s what you WILL do.
It’s the very nature of a commitment. And it’s committing to things in a way that both works for you AND you will do #NoMatterWhat stands in your way (let’s set the excuses aside, shall we?) that will make a difference. As the title suggests, don’t go another day without them.
