success in life? know where to look

“Be careful little eyes what you see…”

If you ever spent time in Sunday School, you may remember this old song. As a Preacher’s Kid, I sang that a lot. Like, a LOT. As I sing it now in my head…”for the Father up above is looking down in love. So, be careful…”, it feels more than a little passive aggressive. Hm.

But that’s a topic for another day. Manipulation and fear in children’s religious songs of the 60’s.

Let’s move on!

Looking Good

Today, I want to talk about the importance of where we decide to look. And that old song has an important point. Here’s my thesis:

The more time we spend looking where we want to go, the better chance we have of actually getting there.

Now, in this crazy time, when all of life is up in the air, it may be too much to even be thinking about, “where we want to go.” On a practical level, we ain’t even going too far from our homes. And on a philosophical level, it’s hard to look into the murky future and see anything at all, let alone a vision for a better life. Heck, some of us are barely paying the bills, and some of us are dealing with sickness. If that’s you, please disregard this conversation. It’s likely not the time for it, for you.

But a lot of us are dealing.

For those of us who are maintaining in crazy Corona-ville, it might actually be a very good time to have this discussion.

Because if we want a happy life, it’s important to be careful what we see with our little eyes. Where we cast our vision is likely where we will end up going.

It’s kinda common sense. If you’re taking a walk, you really won’t GET there unless you look in that direction. I go for a walk every day. If I want to take a walk in the town square (East), but I keep looking at the IGA (West)…I will go to the IGA, not the town square. Or, run into a truck. Either way, I won’t get to the town square.

Let’s back up.

DO we have a direction we want to go? Or, are we simply sitting in one place?

I think it’s very easy to just sit where we are…to not really have a plan or even a desire to make a change. But, in a weird way, we still are going someplace. If we don’t look anywhere but where we are…well, that’s where we’ll end up. Right where we are. So at the end of things, we just…stayed.

“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
~Rush

I’d hate that.

I believe a Good life is moving towards something.

Even if it’s “just” becoming a better version of ourselves. Nicer; kinder; smarter; healthier. Life should be about getting closer to that.

So I suggest that we go a step further (so to speak) and look up and out to where we’d like to be. Basically, how do we want to be different?

It could be small or big. When we decide, we can start to look there. And, just as importantly, we should stop looking elsewhere.

Here’s three examples from my own life.

1. I want to be less cynical. More hopeful that people can change for the better. I need to start looking in that direction more.

   1. So, I stop looking a Tiger King; I start looking at Cheer. In Cheer, there are kids who are working so hard to improve themselves; to support each other, to sacrifice for the good of the team. And I see Monica, who truly cares about these kids, and gives love and encouragement to help them get closer to a better version of themselves. It helps me walk in the direction of hope for humankind, not despair.

2. I want to be doing more Good with my career. So I stop acting as if my current career is final. Instead, I start actively researching what else I’d like to do. I start envisioning what my future could look like, and take steps to find it. Or create it.

3. I want a simpler life. I stop surfing around Amazon to buy more; I start looking at specific ways to reduce. So, I’m scanning old paperwork and shredding it. I’m selling off old stuff (thanks to my son Nik, who’s so good at it.) It feels great to shed the old!

Best known for…?

The bottom line here is pretty simple: If I want to be “best known for” some good things, I better be looking towards those things. Today. And the next day. And the day after that.

And, slowly, I’ll see I’m on a new path;

a direction I want to be walking in. It’s really not the destination; it’s the journey. I need to be looking down that road more so I can walk in that road more. Be care-full, little eyes. Take care that I am seeing what I truly want; and actually doing that.

And you’re welcome for getting that song stuck in your head.

Closer to…?

1. Do you have a “place” you’d like to get to in your life…someplace better?

2. Where is it? What is it?

3. What are you looking at to help you get there—today?

But wait! there’s more.