3 Pursuits that Set You Free
Need reveals lack. The more you need something, the less you have it. A hungry belly lacks food. Leaders who need status lack self-confidence.
3 dangers of pursuit:
#1. Persecution:
Need persecutes. The drive to satisfy a need harasses people. When you need to impress bosses, you create self-imposed oppressors.
#2. Ownership:
When you need something bad enough it owns you. Addicts need a fix. Politicians need reelection. Control freaks live in fear because the world cannot be subdued.
#3. Amplification.
Choose your pursuits carefully. The more you pursue something, the more you feel the lack of it.
The drive to satisfy lack amplifies lack. The pursuit of excitement accentuates boredom. The more you pursue money, the more you need to pursue money.
3 pursuits that set you free:
Pursuits that are first inward-facing and then outward-facing set you free.
#1. Service.
The hunger to serve is freeing if it isn’t polluted too deeply by a need for appreciation. (Something I have not escaped.)
Use your talent to serve the highest good of others. This is challenging for three reasons. First, what is your talent? Second, what is the highest good? Third, the highest good might be painful. Confronting an employee’s blind spot, for example.
#2. Right things.
Pursue doing the right thing, even though the path might be foggy. Just tell yourself, “I’m going to do the right thing.”
Soften resolve to do the right thing with kindness. It is always right to be kind, even when you hurt to help.
#3. Relationships.
Pursue relationship by enjoying people.
- Speak truth with kindness.
- Smile more than frown.
- Pour in more than you take out every time you show up.
- Drive toward improvement, but don’t insist on having your own way.
- Give honor every time you receive it.
- Practice optimism in the face of difficulty.
- Consider responsible failure a learning opportunity.
What pursuits set you free?
Beautiful words, these pursuits! Makes me think of words I recorded after reading a Bible devotional one day, this adapted from what that author said: “All good work brings order to chaos and uses resources to help others flourish.” I remind myself of this thought regularly… Thank you for your faithful coaching here, Dan!
Thank you Allen. Best wishes for the journey.
Love this post Dan!
A pursuit that absolutely sets me free is mentoring others and empowering them to realize that we all have absolute control over our mindset. Although I don’t always “walk the walk” – I am getting better at it. It is effortless to be kind and that brief moment you take to make someone else smile may be just what they needed at that exact moment. When we make it our mission to help others’ lives become better, it is returned to us 10 fold.
Dan,
The first thing that jumped into my brain is “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness”.
Realizing that as we pursue these pursuits, the reality is none of these are guaranteed, so perhaps think before we wish.. that what equates with freedom? The fact we live in the greatest Country in the world set’s me free, yet our are freedoms are being tested everyday by the elected base of individuals to serve us that serve themselves!. The promises etched in stone that have been broken are a longer list that we can never imagine. “Sever the snakes head” for its talk is false. My happiness may not be your happiness, such a rough road to pave.
Thanks for your reflections Tim. Much appreciated. Every time I hear the expression, “pursuit of happiness,” I think about the pursuit of meaning instead. However, I think the framers were probably saying we have the right to engage in the pursuits of things we enjoy without outside intervention. Perhaps a little less outside intervention would be a good thing.
Dan,
I agree I believe i was out of kelter on this one. Just happened into my brain at the time. Cheers
Dan,
I work in Special Education and this is what I received from today’s article and shared with the staff at the school I work with.
The one point that really stuck out to me was under pursuit #3 Relationships that stated “Pour in more than you take out every time you show up”. I once heard someone say when people think about you do they consider you a drain or a faucet. The point they were making is that a drain is a taker who sucks the life out of others (negativity, complaining) while a faucet is a giver (positive, helpful) and pours life into others. I want to challenge us to be a TEAM OF FAUCETS…let’s continue to find the positive in each day and lend a helpful hand wherever we can.
Thanks,
Chad Blain