The Best Things in Life Are Rarely Things

Have you ever noticed this to be true?

The best things in life for me are those things are not things at all. People and experiences make the biggest mark: a wonderful relationship, time with family, or a fantastic vacation that stays in my mind for years.

It seems funny to me that we spend so much time on this planet chasing "things" that we lose focus on what matters most. I mean, what's the point of having that fantastic new home if you sleep in it all alone? Or drive the nicest of cars but are too ill to take it out for a spin?

Last week I was fortunate enough to meet an incredible guy named David. He's one of the wealthiest people I've ever met, and one of the richest guys I've come across.

What's the difference you ask? Well, I've known many wealthy people (the type with all the material resources you could imagine), and then I've met truly rich people who have one thing in common: they have balance.

David has all the monetary success you could ever imagine, yet what made him special in my eye is that he wasn't driven by money; it was more about his relationships. His wife and children mean the most to him inside. He works out every day, watches his diet, and here's the real kicker, he doesn't care what other people think of him. Even though he has all the money anyone could want, need, or desire, he drives a modest car and lives in a modest home, for that's all he says he really needs.

David told me stories of how "keeping up with the Joneses" made him live up to other people's expectations, and how he now chooses to simply live up to his own expectations instead. What a great thought, huh? It got it got me to thinking as well, and to ask this question that I share with you now:

How would I live my life differently, if I lived it only for me? I mean, do I have to wait until I'm wealthy before I begin to enjoy the simple pleasures that surround me each day?

Imagine the freedom we'd have, not attempting to impress anyone other than ourselves. Imagine the free time we'd have in our minds, dreaming of what inspires us?rather than wasting time attempting to please everyone else.

I suppose the lesson to be learned here is that this freedom can be ours . . . and already exists before us. We simply need to accept its challenge.

The challenge is this: For one month, make a conscious effort to do what pleases you. Be proud of your success (but don't brag), wear the clothes that make you comfortable and happy, eliminate the fear to dance, take that risk you've been holding back, and whatever you do . . . Keep smilin'

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated - send to: GregReid@AlwaysGood.com

About The Author

Gregory Scott Reid GregReid@AlwaysGood.com Speaker and two-time #1 best-selling author, The Millionaire Mentor and Wake Up: Live the Life You Love www.AlwaysGood.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

Top 10 Ways to Coach Yourself to Total Success!
Coaching is about being your best. It's about performance, about "staying the course" and, in the end, about creating and living the life you really want.
Im Gonna Die MY Way
My wife says I have the strangest taste in movies. You see, there are movies I can watch again and again, which she couldn't sit through once.
How Not Letting Go of Your Past can Hurt Your Future
Experiences, whether good or bad, are sometimes all wehave, and most of them reside in the past. So you may ask,why should I let go of my past when much of it is filledwith beautiful memories and serenity?Well, that is certainly not what I mean.
Encourage Personality Testing
I was asked the other day : "Kate, is personality testing novelty, frivolity, or common sense?"The answer is: It depends on whether or not you utilize them properly.I highly recommend them for anyone who is in a relationship of any kind: business, friendships, family, etc.
Four Common Rapport Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them
1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are NotDo yourself a favor and be honest with yourself and the people you spend time with.
Change vs Transition
"There is a time for departure, even when there's no certain place to go." -- Tennessee WilliamsThe words change and transition are often used interchangeably.
What Do You Really Want ?
Being a coach is such a rewarding profession. The enormous impact you have on other people's lives always astounds me.
Using Audio Programs to Increase Your Knowledge and Productivity
If you do any significant amount of driving, a simple thing you can do to increase your productivity is to listen to audio programs in your car. If your commute time to work is 45 - 60 minutes each way, you can easily listen to at least 1 book each week.
Tips for Writing Great Coaching E-Books
Never understimate the power of a well-written word. Tens of thousands of readers of coaching ebooks have had their lives changed for the better by a well written ebook.
Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself?
How often do you hear a parental voice in your head that says things like, "You've got to lose weight," or "You should get up earlier every morning and exercise," or "Today I should get caught up on the bills," or "I've got to get rid of this clutter." Let's explore what happens in response to this voice.
Making Communication Effective: 4 Language Filters
Language is a challenging way to communicate. It allows us to share our thoughts and feelings by describing our personal views of reality.
You Have A Choice
I'm a relationship coach and, unlike most, I deal with those 'other' relationships. Of course, I make love happen without wings and an arrow, but I really make a difference with business relationships, family relationships, community relationships, old and stale relationships and all the rest that we take for granted, lost or forgotten.
Context is King!
If you've been around the Internet for more than two hours, you've probably heard someone say it or write it. If you haven't, you will.
Curse of Competence: How Being Good gets in the way of Becoming Great
Just before the storms hit last winter, my father-in-law and I replaced 26 feet of fence on my property. I must say, for a couple of non-handyman-sorts like the two of us, it is a very well done fence.
4 Underused Hot Spots for Your Personal Branding Iron
I'll never forget what my mentor told me: "Don't communicate in any way to any person without the stamp of your personal brand."Everyone has a personal brand, whether they know it or not.
Its Game Time! Four Powerful Lessons in the Game of Life
I turned 29 last week, and if statistics are right and I die on or around my 78th birthday, I am almost 40% done. In a numbers game, that is pretty close to half way.
Get Coached!
Coaching is a hot trend at a growing number of companies, from IBM and Dow Chemical to entrepreneurial start ups. According to a recent survey by The Hay Group, an international human resources consultancy, between 25 percent and 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies use executive coaches.
Choosing The Right Coach
Coaching has become a very popular way for people to get the ongoing support they need to accomplish their goals. However, choosing a coach can be tricky.
Buyer Beware: Choose A Business Coach Carefully To Get The Results You Want
Consider this scenario. A colleague suggests you get a business coach.
Nothing is left to Chance
You are going to meet a very important client for lunch. What do you do? If you are anything like Anna the first job is to ensure the outside you is perfect, well dressed, matching clothes, clean shoes, washed in your favourite soaps, perfume.