When we are always in motion, it’s hard to take inventory of where we are at. The net net of our lives comes from all the decisions we have made that either cause lift or drag. And what we attach ourselves to does one or the other.
Some thoughts to consider in auditing your own net net sum:
Lift
Traders: How many do you have in your life? If you give to them, do they reciprocate? They create lift. You are exchanging value.
Love: We tend to go where we are loved. Are you being built up emotionally by the right people?
Health: You can get a lot done with enthusiasm, focus and drive when you feel great and your mind and body are in stellar shape. How healthy are you inside and out?
Vision: When you have clarity about what you want and where you are going, the energy, resources and work follow. Are you clear about your own want?
Growth: Are you the same person this year as last year? Do you have more to offer others because you became more valuable personally and put in the time to learn new things?
Drag
Takers: We read about those poor pro athletes that are broke. They like keeping takers around because they don’t have the guts to say, “no,” or get the praise and worship they enjoy feeling like royalty. Net net you simply lose. Are you being taken advantage of? By who? Why are you letting yourself?
Negativity: Is your environment toxic? What messages are you exposing yourself to?
Habits: We are creatures of habits. That’s how our brains work. Are old habits dragging you down and trapping you in wasteful time, emotions and sorrow? Get help. Stop it.
Busyness: Being busy can feel good but it’s deceitful. Are you constantly so busy you can’t see what’s important? Most things don’t matter. Are you doing a lot of things that don’t matter? Do you like it?
Gossip: Do you spend a lot of time in meaningless and hurtful conversations about others? Wasteful. Drags down others and wastes your time.
Take 5
So, if you took a sheet of paper and simply did an audit of these items, where would you be? Can you see how it adds up to your net net?
What do you want to be different? Imagine if you started eliminating things that drag and start increasing those things that create lift.
Then take that audit and compare your new net net in 30, 60 and 90 days. You got where you are at because of the conscious or unconscious decisions you made all along the way. Stop the tape. See how you can play life out differently.
