Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

TIP #03: ENGAGE MEANING-FULL ACTIVITIES …
According to the average workaholic, the only way to be satisfied with life is to be
satisfied with one’s job. And according to Malcolm Gladwell, the only way to be
satisfied with one’s job is if that job lends a sense of autonomy (where you have some
say in how you organize your day), a sense of complexity (where your daily tasks are
diverse and shift over time), and a sense of reward (where you see a direct benefit for
your hard work).
This all makes perfect sense, of course, and we can strive to find fulfillment in our lives
in this way if we wish. Of course, for most workers in most economies around the world,
it is almost impossible to satisfy eve one of these goals with any one job.
Fortunately, there is an alternative; one that is available for every worker on the planet in
every moment of their lives. And all that this alternative requires is for us to consciously
replace living productively with living Meaning-fully …
*Instead of feeling a sense of false-autonomy by doing what you want to do at work, you
can find the deep-seated sense of Autonomy that comes to those who choose to Care for
others – and this whether you are on the job or not.
*Instead of feeling a sense of false-complexity by engaging a number of different and
“interesting” tasks at work, you can experience the deep-seated sense of Complexity that
comes to those who engage different act of Kindness every day – and this whether you
are on the job or not.
*Instead of feeling a sense of false-reward by “getting paid enough” for your work, you
can know the deep-seated Reward that comes to those who get their satisfaction from
Serving their community – and this whether you are on the job or not.
It is a Beauty-full Life we have all been given, my Friends – but you won’t know it until
you slow down enough to appreciate it; until you start to make your life about others’ Joy
instead of your own “productivity”.
“If you’re too busy to help those around you, then you’re too busy.” ~ anonymous
“A man who uses only his hands is a mere laborer. A man who uses both his hands and
his mind is a craftsman. And yet the man who uses his hands, his mind and his Heart
becomes an artist.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi
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