How Will You Measure Your Life (May 15th)

 This week's material had so much information in it that it got me into several moods, all at the same time. There was a lot of excitement, humility, reflection, and the fired-up desire to go and accomplish. So much information about educating self, finding your purpose, what your core values are, and how to define them, what you are born to do, and many more. Clayton M. Christensen lecture on "How Will You Measure Your Life" sank deep into my soul. And then Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin talk on "Little Things Are Important" did justice to my emotions. 

I learned that there are three important questions we should consider for a life well-lived. They are:

1. Will I be happy in my job?

2. What about the relationships?

3. How do I stay out of jail?

Christensen answered these three questions in detail.

CREATE A STRATEGY FOR YOUR LIFE

The choice and successful pursuit of a profession are but one tool for achieving your purpose. But without a purpose, life can become hollow. Give a thought for the purpose of your life. And when you find it, let that be the focus of your life.

ALLOCATE YOUR RESOURCES

Your decision about allocating your personal time, energy, and talent ultimately shapes your life's strategy. Balance commitments in your life. Too many people spend too much time on their careers and less time on their family relationships. People who are driven to excel have this unconscious propensity to underinvest in their family and overinvest in their careers - even though intimate and loving relationships with their families are the most powerful and enduring source of happiness. 

CREATE A CULTURE

If you want your kids to have strong self-Esteem and confidence that they can solve hard problems, those qualities won't magically materialize in high school. You have to design them into your family's culture - and you have to think about this very early on. Like employees, children build self-esteem by doing things that are hard and learning what works.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:

We cannot add to or take from the number of minutes in a day......The question is not one of managing time, but one of managing ourselves with the time we have. Each minute is a little thing and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret to success.

Our bodies are truly the result of what we eat, what we think about, and the exercise we receive. If we are not wise, these things can soon cause major health problems that will limit our success and ability to serve.