Today I want to talk about a controversial topic: happiness makes you lazy. I know it sounds counterintuitive but hear me out.
You see, when you are happy, you feel satisfied with your life. You don’t have any problems to solve, any challenges to overcome, any goals to pursue. You are content with what you have and who you are. You don’t want or need to change anything or improve yourself.
But that’s exactly the problem. When you are happy, you stop growing. You stop learning. You stop trying new things. You become complacent and comfortable. You lose your curiosity and your motivation. You settle for less than you deserve.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that happiness is bad or that you should be miserable all the time. Happiness is a wonderful feeling and a worthy pursuit. But it should not be your ultimate destination. It should be a by-product of your journey.
Happiness is not a state of being. It’s a state of mind. It’s a choice that you make every day. And sometimes, that choice involves doing things that are hard, scary, or uncomfortable. Things that make you grow, learn, and improve. Things that make you feel alive.
So don’t let happiness make you lazy. Let it inspire you to do more, be more, and achieve more. Let it fuel your passion and your purpose. Let it challenge you and push you beyond your limits.
Because happiness is not the end of the road. It’s the road itself.
Do you ever feel like you are not in control of your own life? Like you are just following someone else’s agenda, or reacting to whatever comes your way? Do you wish you could have more clarity, purpose and direction in your life?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this blog post is for you. In this post, I will share with you some tips on how to be the CEO of your own life. Being the CEO of your own life means that you are the one who sets the vision, goals and strategies for your life. You are the one who makes the decisions and takes the actions that align with your values and passions. You are the one who leads yourself and others towards a sustainable future.
Why is this important? Because we are living in a time of unprecedented challenges and opportunities. We are facing a global crisis that requires a human transformation. We need to shift from individualistic behavior towards a collective effort. We need to look at the (business) world with a holistic mindset. We need to create solutions that are good for people, planet and profit.
But we cannot do this alone. We need conscious leaders who are capable and willing to come up with ideas and actions to lead us out of this mess. We need courageous thinkers who can challenge the status quo and inspire others to do the same. We need brave do-ers who can execute their vision and make an impact.
Are you one of these conscious leaders? Are you ready to be the CEO of your own life?
If so, here are some steps you can take to start your journey:
Define your vision. What is your purpose in life? What do you want to achieve? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? Write down your vision statement and keep it somewhere visible. Or watch our intro video on finding your values
Set your goals. Based on your vision, what are the specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals that you want to accomplish? Break them down into short-term and long-term goals and prioritize them according to importance and urgency.
Create your strategies. How will you achieve your goals? What are the actions that you need to take? What are the resources that you need? What are the obstacles that you might face? How will you overcome them? Plan your strategies and schedule them in your calendar.
Take action. Now that you have your plan, it’s time to execute it. Follow through on your commitments and track your progress. Celebrate your wins and learn from your failures. Adjust your plan as needed and keep moving forward.
Lead yourself and others. Being the CEO of your own life also means that you are a leader for others. You can influence, inspire and empower others to join you in your mission. You can share your vision, goals and strategies with them and invite them to collaborate with you. You can also seek feedback, support and guidance from others who can help you grow. So join our Club on LinkedIn to share and inspire others.
By following these steps, you can be the CEO of your own life. You can take charge of your destiny and make a difference in the world. You can be a conscious leader who creates a sustainable future for yourself and others.
Are you ready to take this challenge? If so, let me know in the comments below what is your vision, goals and strategies for being the CEO of your own life.
In this text, I will explore some of the challenges and opportunities that we face in our work and life in the 21st century. I will argue that we need to be more critical, vulnerable and authentic in our communications, and more conscious and collaborative in our actions. I will also suggest some ways to create a social economy that values human well-being and happiness over money and status.
One of the challenges that we face is to gain new insights by being critical of what’s happening around us and inside us. We often take things for granted or accept them as they are, without questioning their validity or impact. We need to be more curious and open-minded, and challenge the assumptions and norms that shape our reality. We also need to be more aware of our own feelings, thoughts and motivations, and how they influence our decisions and behaviors. We need to be honest with ourselves and others, and acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses.
Another challenge is to be vulnerable in our communications. Vulnerability means to expose ourselves to the risk of being hurt or rejected, but also to the possibility of being seen and accepted as we are. It means to share our emotions, opinions and experiences with others, without hiding or pretending. It means to listen empathically and respectfully to others, without judging or interrupting. It means to seek feedback and learn from others, without being defensive or arrogant. Being vulnerable can help us build trust, understanding and connection with others.
A third challenge is to stay true to our own self. This means to act in alignment with our values, beliefs and goals, and not to compromise them for external rewards or pressures. It means to express our uniqueness and creativity, and not to conform to the expectations or standards of others. It means to pursue our passions and interests, and not to settle for less than what we deserve. Staying true to ourselves can help us find meaning, fulfilment and happiness in our work and life.
However, staying true to ourselves also requires us to think about and make choices about our work and life standards. We need to ask ourselves: What do we want from our work? Is it money or fulfilment? Do we strive for success or happiness? How do we define success and happiness? How do we balance our work and life? How do we cope with stress and burnout? How do we deal with change and uncertainty?
These questions are becoming more relevant as the world is changing rapidly and unpredictably. The old securities that we used to rely on after the war, such as pension, income, status, fixed position etc., are diminishing or disappearing. The traditional system of work that treats people as production tools is failing us. A large percentage of workers is not finding satisfaction in their work. Many employees don’t like their job or feel trapped in it. Many people develop coping mechanisms to survive, such as escapism, addiction or denial. As a result, we experience more stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
We need a new system of work that respects people as human beings. A system that allows us to grow, learn and contribute as individuals and as a society. A system that fosters collaboration, innovation and diversity. A system that creates value for all stakeholders, not just for shareholders. A system that supports a social economy.
A social economy is about working together for the common good. It is about putting people before profit. It is about creating products and services that solve real problems and improve lives. It is about measuring success by the level of happiness and well-being of everyone everywhere.
To create a social economy, we need a new utopia. We need a new vision of how we want to live together in harmony with ourselves, each other and nature. We need new conscious leaders who can inspire us with their values, actions and stories. We need different community models that are initiated by the people themselves.
We also need a new mindset. We need to stop following the system like sheep because it gives us a false sense of security and convenience. We need to stop feeling guilty if things are not going as expected because it is not our fault but the system’s fault. We need to stop being motivated by money, status or materialism because they do not bring us lasting happiness.
We need to start taking responsibility for our own lives and happiness. We need to start being more proactive, creative and courageous in pursuing our dreams. We need to start being more compassionate, generous and grateful in sharing our gifts with others.
Finding your purpose isn’t that difficult. It just needs some imagination and self knowledge. Here are the three steps to define your purpose.
STEP 1
Start with imagining your ideal world – in 10 years from now. How would this Utopia look like? What would be different and do you see solutions to make this ideal world happen? For example, maybe your ideal world is one where everyone is happy, healthy and wealthy. Maybe you see a world where there is no war, no poverty and no pollution. Maybe you envision a world where humans and animals live in harmony, where technology is advanced and accessible, and where art and culture flourish.
STEP 2
Ask yourself how you can contribute, with all your typical human capacities, to accomplish this ideal world. What would be your role in this story? Which “holy” duty do you see for yourself? How do you want to be remembered? For example, maybe you want to be a leader, a healer, a teacher, a creator, a protector, a supporter or a challenger. Maybe you want to be known for your kindness, your courage, your wisdom, your creativity, your generosity or your humor.
STEP 3
If you have defined your role by now, think about which elements you need to integrate in each part of your life. What would be your daily focus, habits and tasks to fulfill your purpose? For example, maybe you need to learn new skills, meet new people, travel to new places, join new causes, start new projects or change old habits. Maybe you need to prioritize your health, your relationships, your passions, your growth or your impact.
And that’s it! You have just defined your purpose in three easy steps. Congratulations! Now go out there and live it! And remember: finding your purpose is not a one-time thing. It’s an ongoing process that evolves with you. So keep imagining, keep asking and keep integrating. And have fun along the way!
Culture eats strategy for breakfast. A nice saying, but what does this mean and firstly, what is culture? Culture contains a mix of elements such as norms, values, behaviors and ethics. The most basic element of culture is values. About being aware of what we really find important in our daily life’s.
As a start you can discover your own values as an individual, what you as a individual find important in your daily life. Another area where you can define values, is discovering the common values with your co-workers: a company value manifest. To know what you as a team or organization find important in your daily work.
a value manifest gives direction so everyone works on the same goal, knows how to communicate with each other and being aware of what -not- to do
There is also a more functional reason to write a value manifest: for example when you want to hire new people; this will attract the right candidates that match your value criteria. Also it will level out the business partners that are (not) on the same page of what your organization stands for.
You can start writing about what you as a conscious business leader find important. Next step can be to discuss this with your team and find the internal common grounds. The motivation to do so can be various: for a clear goal setting, increased motivation, more focus, finding the main strengths, a possible culture change and more.
As an example, please have a look at our own Business Hippie Club – Value Manifest. This Manifest contains the most important elements how we see the social economy and how to do business, by intertwining it with human values. This is our holistic approach to accomplish our mission.
If you need assistance with writing your value manifest, please contact us. We organize workshops for teams and organizations to discover your common values for a more coherent workforce.
Business Hippie Club 