Shifts to Sustainability

The Unexamined Life…

“The unexamined life is not worth living” is a saying that has been attributed to Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher. I am not sure of the context in which this was said, so I am making an assumption when I look at the idea Socrates was attempting to convey. So here goes… when I think about living a life in which I do not examine my heart or my actions, my thoughts or my feelings, the essence of such a life seems hollow and meaningless to me. Where is the growth? Where is the opportunity for improvement? I do not think that Socrates meant for someone who did not take self-examination seriously that they were not worthy of living, but rather that the person who examines his or her life has so much more capacity to experience happiness and satisfaction in their lives.

This may seem self-evident to most people, however in talking with many many people over the years, the unexamined life is the norm. I have coached hundreds of people, and the first activity that I have my clients do, is a self-examination, a life questionnaire that will really challenge them to look at themselves and their lives in a unique way.

Most of my clients have come to me for assistance in increasing the revenue of their company, or help in getting on track to become financially free, so when the life questionnaire asks questions about things that seem to be out of that context, such as the quality of their relationship with their parents, their birth order, the quality of their sexual relationship with their spouse/ significant other. They are often confused, so what I have generally done lately is to warn or prepare them about the broad area of inquiry that the questionnaire deals with. After preparing my clients, the response from those that took the time to really think about and deeply reflect on the questions and answers has been almost unanimously positive.

Self-reflection or self-examination will always result in a positive outcome, even if you are not living up to your potential. The process almost always leads to a desire to improve in some area, most often in relationships with the most significant people in our lives, such as parents, children, or siblings, or to clear up personal mistakes from the past.

As I wrote the life questionnaire, I found myself constantly reflecting on how I could have handled certain situations better, and almost invariably, I was brought to a current circumstance, and received insight into how I could act in a more empowering way that would better the outcome. Deep reflection of our past often brings clarity to current situations, leading to powerful solutions and action steps. Reflection truly is a life skill that is worth learning, and mastering if abundance and happiness are your objectives.

Hiring a personal coach is also a powerful step in leading an abundant life, if you would like to set up a free initial session to see if my style and process will be beneficial to you please email me directly at coach@3win.com and I will contact you to set up a time that will work for both of us.