Building a life well-lived on a good foundation

We all want our lives to be well lived, to be seen, to make our mark. There is often a perception that we need to be the next Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela or Mother Theresa. Yet fame is not for everyone – we just need to be the best we can be. Observe the triangular illustration alongside. When we consistently be, do and have certain traits, we are shaping our lives towards success.

Recently, I attended an online memorial service for a woman I knew my entire life. I was reminded of the positive impact she had had on so many people, their careers and life paths. By rights she was just an ordinary person. A mother, a wife, a parent, a grandmother, a teacher who recycled, listened with her heart, encouraged and helped. It was her everyday life where she made a difference.

What will be the legacy you leave? What tribute will a friend or colleague bring to your funeral?

The Life Well Lived Triangle lists 10 skills that make us effective: three for Being, three for Doing and three for Having. The tenth trait encompasses the rest and is called Consistency, meaning the repetition of the nine principles.

We are not talking perfection, we are talking about practising a balanced set of skills or traits which we mostly get right and adjust as we go.

As beings, we need to BE happy, attentive and composed. This prepares us to DO and in doing we need to use the skills of energy, boldness and responsibility. Many of us achieve these to a greater or lesser extent, but to actualise what we want, we need to be practising the skill and art of estimating the world and people correctly (that’s HAVING empathy with and tolerance towards our fellow humans), and then being communicative to convey and share ideas, knowledge and actions.

This might seem complex and not do-able, but the good news is we all have developed these in response to circumstances in our lives, and we can redevelop them. Testing by a professional makes it much easier to see which trait needs the most work. This one becomes your breakthrough point for accelerated growth to reach the point where you are achieving your goals and having that life well lived.

Build a solid foundation for your house of skills so that you can create a visible life that benefits others, yourself and your family. By focusing on your skills you can shape the being you need to be and the activities you must do, so that you practice the skills allowing you to have the life that you are seeking.

Pam Miller MBA
Mentor at Creatively Functional Lifestyle-organic actions
+44 7479 497 0069
[email protected]
www.creativelyfunctional.co.uk