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What Constitutes a Good Life?
by Jim Rohn
The ultimate expression
of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of
life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life
is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home.
Here's the ultimate expression of life in my opinion,
and that is living the good life. Here's what we must
ask constantly, "What for me would be a good life?" And
you have to keep going over and over the list. A list
including areas such as spirituality, economics, health,
relationships and recreation. What would constitute a
good life? I've got a short list.
1) Number one, productivity. You won't be happy if you
don't produce. The game of life is not rest. We must
rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get
back to productivity. What's the reason for the seasons
and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and
the miracle of life? It's to see what you can do with
it. To try your hand, other people have tried their
hand; here's what they did. You try your hand to see
what you can do. So part of life is productivity.
2) Next are good friends. Friendship is probably the
greatest support system in the world. Don't deny
yourself the time to develop this support system.
Nothing can match it. It's extraordinary in its benefit.
Friends are those wonderful people who know all about
you and still like you. A few years ago I lost one of my
dearest friends. He died at age 53 - heart attack. David
is gone, but he was one of my very special friends. I
used to say of David that if I was stuck in a foreign
jail somewhere accused unduly and if they would allow me
one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come
and get me. That's a friend. Somebody who would come and
get you. Now we've all got casual friends. And if you
called them they would say, "Hey, if you get back, call
me we'll have a party." So you've got to have both, real
friends and casual friends.
3) Next on the list of a good life is your culture. Your
language, your music, the ceremonies, the traditions,
the dress. All of that is so vitally important that you
must keep it alive. In fact it is the uniqueness of all
of us that when blended together brings vitality,
energy, power, influence, uniqueness and rightness to
the world.
4) Next is your spirituality. It helps to form the
foundation of the family that builds the nation. And
make sure you study, practice and teach. Don't be
careless about the spiritual part of your nature, it's
what makes us who we are, different from animals, dogs,
cats, birds and mice. Spirituality.
5) Next - here's what my parents taught me. Don't miss
anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the
performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show,
don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possible can.
Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see
everything and experience all you possibly can. This has
served me so well to this day. Just before my father
died at age 93 if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00
at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he
was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to
the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every
night.
Live a vital life. Here's one of the reasons why. If you
live well, you will earn well. If you live well it will
show in your face, it will show in the texture of your
voice. There will be something unique and magical about
you if you live well. It will infuse not only your
personal life but also your business life. And it will
give you a vitality nothing else can give.
6) Next are your family and the inner circle. Invest in
them and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll
inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the
details. When my father was still alive, I used to call
him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every
morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy
Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest
Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd
call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in
Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night,
but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call
Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, "Papa I'm
in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in
Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear -
my son's calling me from Israel. I'd say, "Papa last
night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath
the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say,
"Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars
overlooking the Mediterranean." Now everybody knows the
story. It only took 5 - 10 minutes, but what a special
day for my father, age 93.
If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel
his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful
man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can
still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his
body he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff
with the inner circle that makes you strong and powerful
and influential. So don't miss that opportunity. Here's
the greatest value. The prophet said, "There are many
virtues and values, but here's the greatest, one person
caring for another." There is no greater value than
love. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone
you love than to live in a mansion by yourself. One
person caring for another, that's one of life's greatest
expressions.
So make sure in your busy day to remember the true
purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you
truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit
and rewards that you desire.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn |
