Symbolics.com

Think "Bigger Picture" and You'll Impact the World

NOTE:  This post may have a “religious” feel to it.   If this offends you, hit the back button now… If you don’t mind hearing my insight, and reading about my thoughts and my direction –  continue…

It might be due to the mood I’m in right now…
It might be due to the fact that I just returned from an incredibly uplifting 4-day event in Atlanta and I’m still on a high…
It might be because I feel like REALLY sharing what’s inside me…
It might be because I want to give you 2 bits of advice that helped me, and hopefully you can also apply them…

For whatever reason, today I’ve decided to share 2 “life ideas” that have really impacted me, the way I live and the decisions I make.

This letter is for everyone. 
Those seeking direction, those struggling and even those that are exactly where they want to be… but feel that SOMETHING is lacking.

1.  Before you make any decision — ANY decision, big or small – ask yourself one thing:  WHY?

I want to jump into the domain industry.  WHY?
I want to buy a new house.  WHY?
I want to be a musician.  WHY?
I want to make a 6 figure salary.  WHY?

It may feel as if something is missing in your life, if the answers to these questions revolve solely around YOU.

Do you ever ask yourself — there’s gotta be more to life than this?
Do you find yourself wondering what’s missing?
Do you ever ponder “the bigger picture?”

For me, it’s a daily desire to do more…
For me, it’s a daily “self affirmation in the mirror” to not make each day about ME…
For me, it takes constant effort to NOT put ME at the top…
For me, it’s a daily tight rope walk of “moving forward in business, but staying humble”…
For me, it’s a struggle to try to promote the business, yet try to not make it all about me.

It’s tough.   I admit it.

But I ask myself this… WHY?

Why am I in this business? 
Honestly, to make a good living… but that’s not IT.
That’s not the daily focus.
That’s not the bigger picture.
There’s a plan outside of putting gas in my car and making a house payment.

The answer is NOT about ME.

It’s about the bigger picture… it’s about impacting those around me — from a global platform.  It’s about being a positive light, whever I am currently placed.

Ask yourself — WHY do I desire what I do?
WHY do I want what I want?

In searching for direction, in searching for meaning, don’t make it about you.
Make it about a larger goal, a “greater good”, an impact to society, an impact to those less fortunate, make it about something bigger than yourself.

Second piece of advice that has helped me:

2.  Before you determine WHAT you want to do with your life,
First determine WHO you are going to be.

This tip came from Andy Stanley of Atlanta, GA (pastor) and it’s a great thought exercise.

Don’t put the cart before the horse…  determine WHO you are before you determine WHAT you are going to be.

Are you going to be a person that lives for the glory and affection of others, or are you a person who is going to live for something greater?
Great.  NOW decide the direction you want to head.

You want to be a musician?  A baseball player?  A golfer?  An entrepreneur?
Ask WHY?  and then decide WHO are you going to be before moving forward.

Are you going to be a person of integrity?  A business man or woman of integrity?  A musician of integrity who wants to be a positive impact on the world? 
Are you going to treat people fairly?  Be honest in business?  Be someone that is truthful, no matter if it hurts your position?

If you take care of WHO you are, then you won’t have to defend your reputation.  You won’t be accused of lying, cheating, stealing… you’re character won’t come into question. 
It will all take care of itself — because you will have established the type of person you want to be long before you jumped into a career direction.

For some reason, I felt lead to write about this.
Maybe there will be 1 person struggling who will find comfort in these words.
Maybe a teenager is frustrated about the future, maybe a college student is struggling to find a life purpose and a direction.

I’m here to tell you, there’s more than just the day to day.
There is more than just YOU and just ME.
There is a greater purpose for all of us — which extends beyond our
daily efforts to make a living.

Live for something greater — live to make an impact — live to make a difference and decide that you will be unique, you will be honest, you will be a person of moral integrity — and the rest will fall into place.

-  Aron

Side note: 
If you are looking to impact the world, get involved in a cause. 
If you feel that there should be more than waking up, working, making money, sleeping and repeating — make your paycheck mean something.
You can impact the world — YES, just YOU alone.
$1 can change someones’ life forever.

I’d encourage you to support an organization, such as the one below:

BloodWaterMission Provides Clean Water to Villages in Africa

(XF.com maintains no working relationship with BloodWaterMission)

——————