Self Developmentalism

I have recently had the chance to date 2 really awesome women this year. They were both very impressive and what I noticed about them both is that they did not grow up with much, yet they were able to do so much with their lives. I almost felt ashamed of the opportunities I was given while growing up.

It made me realize that life is like an episode of the show MacGuyver. If you aren’t familiar with the show, the main character was some type of genius who was always getting into a tight situation where he had to build something with limited resources.

He was always required to make the most of the situation by using whatever he had available to do what he needed to do. Somehow he always had just enough to accomplish the task. I remember him plugging a radiator with egg yolks, creating blow torches out of pipe sections, and solving tons of problems with bubble gum and paper clips.

My relationships  have taught me the same thing. You some resources, then you use those resources to focus on what you need or want to accomplish.

This is all too simple, because life is full of an infinite number of distractions that can complicate this process. But you should realize that you can always blame your position on a lack of resources, but if you really want to be successful in life, you have to focus on what you have in the present moment to work with. When you learn to focus your attention this way, you will learn to see opportunities where there none existed.

Think of all of the people throughout history that grew up with very little, had little parental support or little family support, yet they were able to accomplish great things.

A famous Joseph Campbell quote says:

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”

I find this quote to be true more than ever. The harder you look for solutions, somehow, the better you will be at finding them.  The more you practice, the more you become the MacGuyver of your own life.

Its seems like every day we dream of what the perfect world would be like with lots of money, no bills,
the perfect body,  no health problems, lots of friends or whatever it is that makes your utopia.

I grew up dreaming of and wanting material things. I went all through high school and college dreaming of having the perfect house, well paying job and nice car. I chased this dream for years never really obtaining any success because of lots of layoffs, career changes, student loan debt and so on.

Recently, I came to a full realization about my perfect utopia after reading a book called “The Practicing Mind” by Thomas M. Sterner.  One of the main points of the book is that many people chase a goal and when they reach it, the result is an empty satisfaction, often leaving you wanting something more or better, especially when it comes to material things.

The problem is that this creates a horizon that you are always pursuing, yet you will never reach. If your happiness depends on reaching this point that is never reached, then guess what? You are never happy!

The author points out that the process of reaching the goal is more rewarding than achieving the goal itself. ‘Those who learn to enjoy the process of reaching goals rather than constantly focusing getting a result are often happier than those who are chasing perfection.

In the past I have been so obsessed with trying to create the perfect life, it has kept me from enjoying what is going on now. I am a lot more aware of how I my mind is rarely on what I am doing in the present moment. Its not easy to bring yourself to the present moment, especially if you are the type of person who is constantly thinking about the past  or the future.

Thinking about either one effects the outcome of what you are trying to accomplish now.