RandomCrates

How do we define success? Success is money. Success is power. Success is the big house in the fancy neighborhood and expensive vacations. Or is it?

I define success as doing what you love. If you aren’t evangelizing you aren’t successful.

If you’re a teacher and want to spread the word, want to inspire kids, and want everyone to understand the importance and the benefit, you’re successful.

If you work for a book publisher and love talking about the art and science of creating a book and want to change the world through books, you’re successful.

When I say Evangelist, I’m not talking the religious zealots on late night television that come off more as swindlers than true believers. I’m talking the definition made famous by Guy Kawasaki. Loving what you do and spreading the word because of your passion.

If you aren’t doing something you care to evangelize you aren’t going to be happy. Having a sports car and a trophy wife/husband isn’t going to make you happy. Material success is a numbing agent and only dulls your feeling of dissatisfaction. Like any drug it’s going to take an increased dosage to get the same high. Focus on doing something you love. Want to be a fireman? Put out fires. Want to create video games? Learn art, or programming. Want to start a business? Start a business, any business. Want to work on an assembly line creating M&Ms? Great. But, for the love of all things Holy, do not do something you hate. Focus on determining what will make you happy, and do something about it.

As long as you’re passionate and love what you do, you are successful and most importantly satisfied.

What do you do when you have a toothache? You grab the Anbesol.
Have a headache? Take some Advil.
Have a stressful day? Watch some TV. Eat that bowl of mac & cheese. Escape.

Numbing agents are good. It’s OK to numb the pain, as long as you’re not numbing symptoms of a larger problem. If you’re numbing a headache that turns out to be a brain tumor, you’ve got serious problems.

If your coming home drained from work every day and just want to plop down on the couch and watch TV, you’ve got a brain tumor! There is a big difference between being a satisfied tired, and a miserable tired. Do have the urge to become an alcoholic to numb the feeling of being unfulfilled (I have before)? If that’s the case, your not solving your problems, you are ignoring them.

What are numbing agents?

Numbing agents are anything that you consistently do for the purpose of masking unhappiness AND keeps you from working towards satisfying your goals. A numbing agent is not to be confused with a hobby, which is something you do in spare time that contributes to your happiness. A list of common numbing agents (if not done in moderation):

- TV
- Video Games
- Surfing the Web
- That [insert social media service of choice] addiction
- Eating
- Partying
- Drinking
- Hanging out with motivation draining negatives
- Movies
- Sleeping
- Reading

All of these things, if done to escape persistent unhappiness, are numbing agents. They keep you from fulfilling your dreams.

What can you do?

Stop using numbing agents and use the “pain” as motivation. Determine what will make you happy (you may find that it doesn’t, but you don’t know until you try).  And instead of numbing agents, do inspirational things that will help you meet your goal. Here’s a list of inspirational activities.

+ Write something, anything
+ Start a blog
+ Connect with positive and motivational friends
+ Draw, even if you suck
+ Make some music, even if the only instrument you know are the spoons
+ Read a book that teaches you something related to your goal
+ Read a blog that teaches you something related to your goal
+ Cook something exotic
+ Exercise
+ Play board games with the family
+ Deactivate your cable/satellite service
+ Suspend that WoW account
+ Take a sabbatical from that [insert social media service of choice]

Basically, do anything that stimulates your brain. Bonus points if the activity is a step towards your goal. The objective is to get you thinking, having fun, being creative, and stop trying to numb your life. It’s amazing the energy, motivation, and satisfaction you will feel if you get out of your rut and work towards fulfilling your dreams.