The Art of Fulfillment

I was recently listening to Tony Robins talk about fulfilment, or the lack thereof, and happiness, or the lack thereof.

When you hear the word fulfilled, how do you experience it? What comes up for you? The challenge is that the world we live in is so hectic, and we spend so much of the day in a state of “mindlessness, “not noticing our surroundings or were we are. We are worrying about the next meeting, replaying the last one, wondering why so-and-so hasn’t returned our call. Our inner voice of negativity — whose existence causes doubt and insecurity and reminds us to think and dream small — is incessant.

The most precious moment we have is now. Life happens in the now, whereas frustrations and unhappiness live in the past. They nudge and poke at us, determined to define our present and future.

If you want to test the power and necessity of now let’s, consider breathing. Breath is the one thing that we can’t live without for the shortest period. How many us pay attention to our breath? We can live for days without water or food. But in the “now” how long can be without breath?

My mentor and friend Andrew Neitlich (Center for Executive Coaching) has some great questions about fulfilment: What beliefs do you have about fulfilment both in and out of the business world?

1. What would a fulfilled team look like?
2. What would it take to make this quarter the most fascination and rewarding?

Fulfilment, the sense of being at peace with who you are and where you’re at, wherever that is, is intrinsic. It’s an inner journey in which outer circumstances have little impact. Other people can’t give it to you.

Can you imagine feeling/being more fulfilled? What would life look like, taste like? What higher level would your relationships and health be? What would your sense of self be? And the fact is that the choice is ours.

This isn’t to say that the world isn’t a mean place sometimes. The economy can tank, relationships can end, people die. But paraphrasing Jack Canfield, it’s not the event that determines the outcome. It’s our response to it. It’s not about happiness always, but it is an iron-clad belief that living a fulfilled and positive life is your right.

Here’s a challenge for you: determine 3 or 4 areas in your life and/or business where you chose to be fulfilled (spirituality, trust, humor, the team you have, etc.) and just make the decision to drop the baggage, or the fear, or the indecision and clutter.

Unhappiness, unfulfillment, mindlessness — these are all choices that we make.

Why not make a different choice? It’s just as hard or as easy. The effort is the same.

It’s not magic, and it isn’t without effort.

The choice is always ours to make.