Challenge: Asking The Big Life Questions
What’s with all the meta topics? Last week I published a video about finding life purpose. Now I’m dropping the big life questions on you, as though you weren’t busy enough getting shit done.
Blame the time of year – when the days get darker and the holidays closer, I always feel more thoughtful than usual. I also know that I’m not alone in this, and so, just in case you felt like contemplating some things that actually can and do influence the rest of your life, read on.
My challenge for you today is to ponder, and strive to answer, a few big questions.
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I’ll start by answering one myself: Why?
Another thing typical of this time of the year is how busy it gets. It’s not like people with jobs and loved ones and passions don’t have enough on their plates as it is. I keep preaching a slower pace of life, and my clients keep turning up with booked-out schedules. Heck, I fall back into busy mode myself, more often than I like to admit.
The best antidote I know of is to have a few anchors, or north stars or whatever metaphor you prefer. They’re the things that truly matter, things like your values, your life dreams and goals, your purpose. Once you know them, you can align your life with them and withstand outside pressure and stress much more easily.
Imagine a statue. You can tip it to one side a bit, it’ll swing back upright. That’s because its center of gravity moves, but is still close enough to the statue’s center to stay upright. Once you tilt it so far that the center of gravity moves far outside the statue, though – it falls over.
You’re like that statue, except that the “center of gravity” I’m talking about is metaphorical and means the big things in life. Hence the questions.
Life Question 1: Time
Imagine there were 10 days in a week. Imagine further that you’d still only have to work the five days you work now, and all your chores, obligations etc. remained the same. The money you make would still be enough to live well, even with the 3 additional days (this is a dream – you’re allowed to stretch reality!).
So, you want for nothing and you have three extra days every single week. Three days without obligations, work, or appointments. How would you spend them?
Now, be completely honest with yourself. You don’t need to show your answer to anyone. I’m fairly certain I’d spend at least a few weeks with my feet up, re-watching my favourite series and reading. Eventually, I’d fill the time with things I love.
Write down your answers – again, you needn’t show this to anyone, but you should have it in writing, just for yourself. It contains important clues.
Life Question 2: Money
This question or exercise is similar to the first: Imagine what you’d do if money were no object. Except, this time you wouldn’t even have to work any longer.
What would you do if the universe dropped 5 million Euro or Dollars on you? In this imaginary situation, all your loved ones are already taken care of, and so are any charities you support. They don’t need any more support from you.
The 5 million are what’s left after you’ve taken care of everyone else. They’re just for you.
How would you spend your days?
What would you do?
Where would you live?
Who would you spend your time with?
How would you manage your money?
By the way, if you don’t have an answer for how you would use, spend or invest this sum, I highly recommend getting money savvy. One way of doing this is by signing up for my coaching program! It includes a thoroughly empowering and happiness-inducing financial education. Yes, it’s that important, even if your main goal is doing more of what you love and finding your life purpose.
Life Question 3: The three “P”s
What are the three “P”s? Simple: They’re people, passions and purpose.
I’m cheating a little with this question, because it’s really three questions, but they’re similar and so I grouped them together. Sue me!
What three (or five, or ten) people would you take on a desert island with you? Why? Do they know (and if they don’t: tell them!).
What’s the thing, or the multiple things, that fascinate, interest, light you up the most - in other words, your passion(s)?
What is your purpose/your Why?
If you don’t know your purpose yet, consider doing my free 5-day Life Purpose Challenge. It contains information and little action steps every day for five days, to set you on the path towards finding your purpose.
Your north star
I recommend taking some time with this exercise. Free up a half hour, make yourself comfortable, perhaps light a few candles and grab a cup of your favourite hot beverage (if it happens to be mulled wine, I won’t tell). Sit down with something to write.
The writing bit is really important. Remember, these things constitute your aforementioned metaphorical “center of gravity”. When you’re either stressed or distracted, or trying to do too many things at once – or heavens forbid, all of the above – your center of gravity has moved outside of yourself. You resemble the Tower of Pisa, and the further you lean, the more you’re in danger of toppling.
These things you’ve written down here are the things that move your center of gravity back into yourself. They upright you, ground you and root you. They make you stand firm so you won’t lose your balance so easily again.
In order to remember what these things are when you most need them, namely when things get hectic and you’re beginning to lean dangerously, it’s good to have a written reminder. Trust me on this.
The more you become aware of your answers to the big questions, and the more you act on them, the harder it’ll be for the world around you to topple your balance. Over time, you’ll become unshakeable, and until then, what you’ve written serves as a lifeline.