Why Do You Do What You Do?

Did you ever wonder why you go about life living the way you do?  Like why you chose to work in the career or job that you're in?  Or why you chose to get behind a cause that you support?  Or maybe even why you chose to buy that fancy new smartphone or GPS device?

GPS systems didn't just appear overnight and consume the general public to the point where just about everyone has one in their vehicle nowadays.  I mean heaven forbid if we actually had to stop and ask for directions in today's world.  How embarrassing would that be?!  Gone are the days that someone would actually have maps from Triple A shoved in their glove box so tight that you can hardly get the damn thing shut.  And I bet you anything that if you were to ask someone back in 1980 if they would shell out $200-$500 for a device that would take their Triple A map and put it in a little computer with the screen size that's hardly bigger than a credit card they would probably think you're nuts!  Not to mention adding in the fact that they would have to spend another $50-$125 to update the maps every year or two so they didn't get lost.  But we don't laugh now and instead probably roll our eyes when we find out that one of our closest friends doesn't have one of these things.  So how did we get here?

Well chances are that the only reason that you find yourself where you are in life today is because someone somewhere decided to take a risk and be different.  They decided to brush off the nay sayers and do something that was neither popular nor thought to be possible at the time.  They did it because they believed in whatever it is they were doing.  And they knew that someday we would believe in it too.  These are the people that lead and inspire.  They are the reason that we take part in a 3 day walk to find a cure for breast cancer or spend our weekend scouring the kiosks in the mall for the newest 3G phone.  Now the question you have to ask yourself is are you one of these people?  Or do you want to become one of these people?  Well here's their secret to success:

Uniquely Hardwired

I got to thinking (which is always a scary thought I've been told many times by my closest friends) that maybe there's something wrong with me. Or maybe it's not wrong but maybe it's just me being unique? Anyway, what I'm getting at is that I was thinking about life today and what it is that fills this life that I live. What it is that I feel that I'm really good at. And the thing that kept entering my cerebrum is the thought that "I'm good at working. Yes, I'm really good at working!" I'm not a big fan of sitting still and often go crazy after about 5-10 minutes of doing just that. Yes I know this may seem very draining to many of you but it's exhilarating to me in many ways.

It seems that I am always working at something in my life. I'm working at work. I'm working "volunteering" on my "weekends" or days off. I'm working during the evenings when I've got a few spare hours away from work trying to get some kind of chore or task done. Now it's not that I don't ever take time to just relax and have fun. But it seems like this is more of a rare occasion than anything else. I'm always trying to accomplish something by working towards making a positive impact on the world around me.

Currently I'm working extra shifts since we're short staffed at work. I'm also working during a majority of my time away from work at trying to build a company and a website from the bottom up that will help guide people to achieving a healthier life both physically, mentally, and emotionally. And then on the side I'm working by taking an online course to get certified in plant based nutrition to further my expertise in building my company and website. I'll be working even more after that by continuing my education and taking another online course to get certified in anticoagulation therapy this fall.

Even though I take some time off it's never really a lot. In fact, I've actually cashed out PTO (paid time off) because I've accumulated more than I can bank. And when you can bank 300 hours that's a lot of time off! I can't possibly think of what I would do if I would take all that time off?!

If you think of it, that's really a lot of work! I'm sure you're feeling exhausted just reading about it or maybe you can relate. It's funny because when I meet other people for the first time and they inquire about what I like to do for fun I actually have to pause and think about this for awhile. I often perceive a lot of odd assessments going through their head when they see me hesitate. They're probably thinking "Who doesn't automatically know what they like to do for fun?!!!" And it's not that I don't like to have fun but rather that a lot of the "work" that I do at least away from my real work (job) IS having fun to me. In a way, I can't imagine my life any other way. If I could single handedly save the world with my efforts I would. But that would take a lot more work that I'm capable of doing.

It's a good thing I'm single and have the time to accomplish so much. Then again maybe that's why I'm single :-) And it's most certainly a big reason why the whole having children thing is out of the question for me now and forever. Not that having and raising a family is bad it's just not for me. I love the way I live my life and look forward to what I can accomplish in the next 60-70 years.

In the mean time, I guess I'll just keep working because the feeling I get from reflecting on the difference that it all makes really touches home to me. It leaves me with a smile inside that no human can see. And that's worth every last second that I've ever spent "working". So if you see me and I'm actually taking a break in life cherish it because it won't last for long! I can't help but think of what my uncle was always saying when it comes to life.... "You can rest when you're dead." Well I'm not dead yet :-)