The shortness of life, but art thou squandering even a piece of it?

(If this is in an email, click on the title of the post to read the entire post.)

I would suggest you read this, and then put into your morning launch routine something life:  "I behold this day most precious.  I know my time here is limited.  I will spend it only on the most valuable, and not squander it!'  "I am the master of my day, no one else, nothing else."  (Although some people look down at affirmations, we must be saying these to ourselves somehow - and it is wonderful if it is already "built in".)

I think this is the most important thing a person can know, and practice.

The link is to an Evernote, so it contains bolding by me, with a few notes:

The Shortness of Life: Seneca on Busyness and the Art of Living Wide Rather Than Living Long – Brain Pickings

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Pass this onto others via the little white envelope right below this post.
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Related:

     Fwd: Farnam Street: Seneca on The Shortness of Time

    Too Busy to Pay Attention to Life

    How to Live on 24 Hours a Day: Arnold Bennett on Living a Meaningful Life Within the      Constraints of Time
   
             
 

Simple no holes task management - a MUST!

(To read the entire post, click on the title of the post.)

You absolutely MUST have a for-sure-you-will-use-every-day system for your task management.  It is a foolish waste not to use one!!!

To assure that you have one, I recommend that you start with a simple, complete system.

Get a simple free (or use the premium version cheaply) app that works on all devices:

Todoist

Toodledo ((used by expert Michael Linenberger in place of Outlook!) 

GQueues

They all have great guides and simple tutorials and easy to find instructions.

I use GQueues premium for $29/year.  (See A simple, effective, easy to do task list that will better your life!  It tells you why the others don't work for me, as they lack "tree outline" capability.)

It coordinates with my Google Calendar, where I can drag and drop tasks for the day or for a time to another slot.  Simple.

I simply immediately post every "to do" I think of to my Inbox Smart Queue.  You MUST post every to do if you are to have a good working task management system that has integrity to it.  Rule:: Don't leave off any future to dos, including worthwhile ideas. Simple.

I keep all currently considered items in my inbox list.  When I review the list, I simply drag and drop an item to the position on the list in which I will do them, then I use the list for my "next actions to do" list. and/or assign a date if it is to be later.  I can leave items I probably won't ever get to on the list (as they'll gradually go lower and lower on the list as I add to the top the higher priority items) or if I won''t get to it until I work on a project, I drag and drop the item into my project list folder I will have set up.   Simple.

I, then, just follow the order I've listed from the top down.  Simple. Easy.

If I receive an email of something that is a "to do" I simply forward it to my GQueues email address (automatically assigned for you in "general" section of "settings") and it gets automatically added to the inbox list.   Simple.  Easy.

I just look at and reorder the list every day.  It takes less than 3 minutes, or the elaborate version might take 5 minutes up to 10 minutes, but you'll save hours if you follow this practice.  Simple.

The order of your list is always "Musts" first and then highest value items 2nd.  Simple.

The items that don't have priority for me simply drop down the list, often, appropriately, never getting done if they are not necessary but just a "good idea", simply "of interest", or attractive at the time I thought of it.  I also am able to see, in black and white, what will never make its way to the actual doing level - and I also do not start on any item in the moment just because it is attractive or on my mind right now - I just write it down and let it fade into the insignificance that is befitting it, so I save lots of time not going on side ventures!!  Simple. 

Try it.  You'll both like it and find it easy.  And, most of all, it will increase the value you will get out of life.  You can't afford not to do it, as leaving it up to whimsy will cause you to waste much of life.  And that is the simple truth of it.  

Please, please don't go without at least this system!!!!  Please don't leave your life up to thoughtless randomness ("randomity")!!!!  (Living life randomly is the biggest waste of life there is!!!!)

The shortness of life and getting the most out of it...

Somehow, people don't seem to "get it" about the value of time, so they spend it as if it is unlimited supply, instead of spending it getting the most out of life.

They let people call and take over their lives for a little bit of time, because it is "good and sociable and polite" - meanwhile they are giving up the opportunity to do what is of the most value to themselves.

Of course, one must identify what is of the most value and then insert it into life on purpose, during "committed times".   This is discussed on the site at Life Value.

Perhaps, this article might be of interest and of use to you:   Seneca on The Shortness Of Life.

May you live a life of great value to you,

Keith

I added an app ("Days") to my ipad that notifies me once a day of the number of days I have left, reducing the amount by one day each time...  Keeping this "top of the mind" will tend to have us be more judicious in how we live our lives, as it is so incredibly easy to forget...and to let wasted days go by without thought...

What is the most valuable thing you can do to better your life?

Value itself lies in producing the end result of all life: Deep, enduring, unconditional, underlying Happiness.  Beyond that, anything that helps one increase the ability or to cause the thing that leads to that value is, of course, of high value.  (It is "derived value" in that it derives value from its ability to insure a direct value is experienced.)

If one identifies what is of highest value, it is always learning that which will give one the capability to produce a lot more value in one's life.  (You MUST gain high Life Competency above all other capabilities!)

What we are to do is to identify what would be of the most value if it were included (or excluded) for your life.  Then we would identify what we need to learn to develop the ability to attain that desired result.

Always, to gain an ability, we need to learn how something works and how to work it - and then we must "install" that knowledge in ourselves so it is actually used.

And it is of tremendous value if we can learn something and implement it very shortly, instead of in dribs and drabs along the way.

Often these educational activities are in an in person live format.

So the question becomes what are the most effective programs, put in order of effectiveness.  Usually they are the ones that go into the most specifics of the how tos and what it takes to understand things to the point of doing them effectively.  Of the programs I know of, I would rank the following as to effectiveness and value in the following order, with attached reasons why: (everything you do must have some days added on AFTER the event, days that are used to fully complete the learning and the plan for follow up as needed - the links below are to pages on my site about these resource, with links to their sites, with no affiliations with me)


DISTINCTIVELY HIGHEST VALUE

Belief changing program at The Hoffman Institute.  The most valuable thing you can do is change one's negative and/or limiting beliefs, for they get in the way of one's being able to harvest the best life.  It is not "capability" that is the differentiating factor in people's being effective in life, but the beliefs that have one not "risking" or "being able to freely step forth" to use and access those capabilities.  We all have lots of levels of capability beyond what we are using.  Its not the capability that is the problem, but what gets in the way of using that capability and ability to think freely without anxiety. The program is a complete immersion program with lots of writing and completing, where one identifies at least a rough form of their fallacious thinking process in disempowering beliefs and THEN have you formulate the replacement that is actually reasonable, which you will install.  The support is par excellence, at an 8 to 1 ratio.  The most effective program I've ever seen, judging from the results obtained by people I know who take it.  The ongoing contact with other graduates is also hugely valuable.
Cost: A little over $4,000. It includes an "all inclusive retreat", including lodging and meals!


OF GREAT VALUE, POTENTIALLY

Date With Destiny, Tony Robbins - Can be life changing, but you MUST set aside time to implement it and finish your homework (which is started during the course).  About $4500 plus your costs of lodging and meals.  [Look at the many free videos I have linked to for your use to learn from.]

LifeSpring Trainings - The corporate organization sold the rights to various individuals to do this tremendous, highly impactful set of two workshops.  First is probably in about the $600 range, the "advanced" around $1,000.  A person can go through and be impressed, but if the person doesn't fully participate and/or does really follow up on it, the person can actually manage to get little out of it, as impossible as this sounds to me - but I've seen it.  It is the most lovely, greatest experience of my life.

The Landmark Forum - Also often life changing, but always there is an IF attached to it.  You must spend at least three days afterwards fully harvesting the ideas and philosophy and the "distinctions" and put them into your life.  (Around $500)

The Option Institute - Living on campus in a beautiful surroundings, the Option Institute trainings can straighten out your thinking dramatically.  In 2007, I took several of their about $2,000/week programs, doing the Summer Sequence (with the idea of affirming my own learnings and perhaps polishing them off) and two other separate weeks for a total of 7 weeks.  Again, you have to harvest the materials!  (Watch selected videos from the links I provide.)

The Strategic Coach - This is for successful entrepreneurs, but while it increases one's productivity it is also about life - every participant dramatically increases not only productivity but also hugely increases the number of their "free days"!


YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT BE AN EXPERT IN "LIFE"

So many people do not utilize every (good) opportunity they can to learn "life competency".  They are selling themselves short, wasting most of their lives compared to what is actually available. These are fairly costly programs, but they have much potential worth far above the cost - and giving up taking them in order to save a few bucks is a poor, shortsighted tradeoff.  You only get one life on earth, so please don't "underutilize" it!

When a good person who is conscientious about life and being good and learning lots asked me "what mistake did I make in my life such that I am not better off?", the answer I came up with was "You 'stopped short' of fully completing what was the most beneficial in life, especially revising and replacing the governing beliefs in your life!"

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Some of the courses I've taken are listed in my About Keith page.  And, yes, I've often failed to do the full harvesting, as I rushed around without adding in the extra days needed, though I improved gradually as I progressed over time.  Please don't make the same mistake!  Put aside the time to take such workshops AND to fully harvest them, and your life will be significantly changed!!

What if one value conflicts with another...?

[If you are receiving this by email, remember to click on the title to go to the whole piece on the blog.]

Go back to the beginning of the posts on July 3rd, to start the sequence.

Since two things cannot fit into the same space or happen at the same time, we must always make "tradeoffs", where we choose something of higher value that will displace something of lower value.  If we do not do that, we will live a life of lower value - and that is not a good choice, even if one has the excuse of being ignorant of how to value activities in life.

This truth above does not mean that 'more of" one highest value activity will always displace all others.  The reason for that is that as we do more of something the extra value created will ALWAYS over time diminish.  As we eat more pie, the satisfaction from eating pie goes down, until we choose to stop eating pie (and jump for the ice cream!).  

So, what if one of your highest valued activities is to relate to your children and they are visiting for a week?  Does this mean that each hour (after being with them for several hours) will have high value or that you should religiously just focus on them all the hours of the week?  

Wouldn't you still sleep?  Wouldn't you still do what is good for your health?  Wouldn't you still assure that your basic emotional well-being is taken care of and not diminished by taking too many hours to be with the kids?  

A wise person who makes good choices in life, and is thus happy, will choose to "distinguish what is of value", "differentiate", and "think" (using the higher brain to decide) to determine what is of the highest value for the moment (or next unit of time).  He/she will "draw boundaries" and then choose to implement those boundaries in order to assure that all highest value activities will be engaged in.  

This person would tell the kids that he/she will be taking some time for him/herself or simply say "I need some time to do a few things for myself, so let's not start on our joint activities until 10 am.  Ok?"  ("OK?" in this case is not asking for permission and is only verifying that they "get it" and agree with it or have no problem with it.)   If the relationship is so precarious and/or they don't appreciate the great number of hours you will be spending with them, then the relationship is not in good repair or there is an understanding that needs to be established.  

Foolish is the man or woman who gives away what is most valuable in life for what is not - who let's the "pressure" of "outside demands" govern his/her life at the moment displacing governing her life herself, by choosing to do what is of truly the most long term value.  

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Much happiness to you in making wise tradeoffs and standing for what is best for you!

Keith

Do you have integrity with the highest value part of your life?

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YOU MUST HAVE TRUE ALIGNMENT OR...

You will attain integrity when your behavior (and results) align with what you value, but only if what you value is that which is truly of value.  

You will know when you are living "in integrity" when you are deeply, enduringly feeling happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life, without emotional turmoil.

It is impossible for a human not to gain the most value from assuring emotional well-being, supported by physical well-being.  Self-sacrifice and suffering in order to contribute to others is based on false values, lack of sufficient understanding and knowledge and not completely reasoning out what is true. Emotional well-being is, by far, the most important value.

The next highest value, once a person has taken care of basic security needs, lies almost always in enjoying close, reliable, authentic relationships.   However, it is still true that, though relationships contribute to emotional well-being, emotional well-being is the "end game", "what it is all about".

Although linked, emotional well-being has 1,000's of times more value than relationships.  And close relationships have 100's of times more value than any other relationships.

Those who believe they will gain value from non-close relationships, from getting approval (or avoiding disapproval), from vague concepts of achievement or superiority-seeking or pride will experience an emptiness and perhaps conscious regret (while perhaps not knowing why) and/or non-satisfaction.  They are trying to derive value from the lowest value, illusional pursuits - and it is impossible to get emotional nutrition from the "cotton candy" of psychological misunderstandings.  Essentially, they are running fast on a treadmill to nowhere and cannot understand why they are not gaining and winning that (unwinnable) game!

The above, in total, is perhaps the most important understanding of all, in terms of having a truly great human experience and the happiness that humans are capable of attaining.

WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THIS?

You would act on this by first of all doing sufficient learning for you to agree with these truths and hold them as the highest "guide" toward a good life.

And you would ask of anything you do "Will this be of the greatest value for me?  Will this contribute to my emotional well-being and my physical well-being?  Will this be congruent with assuring that my close relationships are well-nourished (or will this harm them)?"

Put those questions on your early morning routine or in your planning for the day, as a checklist item to check off each day.  Put a "reminder", right this moment, in your computer or phone, that will pop up every day at the time you do any planning:   "Am I acting in congruence to my highest values of emotional well-being and assuring an excellent relationships with those whom I care the most for?"  If you answer affirmatively to that, then you will be living life on the true path of happiness.  If you answer negatively to that, then you will be selling your soul to the devil of illusion and regret.  

Read the book on Kindle on Life Value Productivity by Keith D. Garrick.

List out what your "Highest Value Activities" are.  Schedule and do the listing as soon as you can, not just quickly doing it, but allowing enough time to think and write thoughts about it.   If you're not clear on what is of high value and what isn't, then you cannot achieve a high value life.

Note that when a person identifies his "highest values" that those highest values must be tied to behaviors that will cause one to achieve what is of the highest value in life.  If they don't lead to that, then one's values are "false" and valueless values.   For instance, if "having fun" is one of one's highest values it will lead to not doing that which serves one at a higher, more valuable level.  Having fun is of a lower value and must not be allowed to push higher values out of the way.  However, after one's highest value activities have been done, the "having fun" is an option that can then be considered.

Accepting a new assignment by choice is never a good strategy unless one has implemented all that is of the highest value, including Implementing Self Care - How Much?  What Do I Do?  And When?.  This should be one of the very highest priorities, while the new assignment might be "of value" it is dramatically inferior to self care and its contribution to emotional well-being. 

MY BEST WISHES FOR PUTTING THIS INTO YOUR LIFE

I hope that you make room for this high priority strategy and the exercises.

I KNOW that they will help you to produce considerably more value and happiness in your life.

Keith