Is Your Life in Neutral?

I can remember as a kid with a new bike going down a steep hill where I would coast down because I was afraid of going too fast. The challenge today is that too many people are coasting in their lives and make the felonious assumption that being in neutral in life is good because at least you aren’t going backwards. I had a discussion with a good friend, who is like a son to me, about the need to actually do something good with your life.

I have many friends who truly believe that if they haven’t gotten in trouble for doing something bad than their life must being doing good. I will ask many of these friends, both young and old, that the point isn’t whether you have done something wrong, illegal or stupid but whether you are doing something with your life that really matters. My point to my friend was about the essence of what’s in your heart? Is it always to get by with doing the least instead of doing more than expected? Is there anything wrong with chilling or doing it your way?

It is too easy, for men especially, to miss the point that it isn’t about what you haven’t done, i.e. steal, cheat or beat someone up but in a positive way do something with your life that counts and impacts others. The challenge with this mindset is that there isn’t any guarantee of reward, promotion or recognition. The reality is that those who get choosing to live with passion from the heart is that they aren’t concerned about being recognized or being rewarded.

I had a passionate discussion with my friend about this mindset that took some time for it to sink into him. I understand that we live in a day and age where everyone is concerned about his rights, freedom and ability to do life their way. The difficulty with this mindset is that it flies in the face of most modern male egos. I’m going to be the last one to ever show any weakness and don’t expect me to go back to someone who has ‘dished’ me and expect me to serve them?

It is easy for those of the present generation growing up to be judged by their parent’s age group as being totally unwilling to work hard, always seem to expect someone else to do it for them and make the assumption that mom and dad should support them till they are 30. So how is it possible to help someone change from being a secret taker to a secret giver? I know that most of what my discussion with my friend wasn’t anything life shattering but still came back to his heart. Are you willing to do something different in order to show someone real affirmation? It is too easy to assume that it is always the other person who must go the extra mile?

I do know that character does count and that most in leadership today see the importance of talking about values that take precedence over bottom line or promotions. So is your life in neutral waiting for something great to happen? Most will come to the conclusion that the grass isn’t greener on the other side and that there really aren’t any short cuts in life worth taking the risks. I do believe that the best risk to take is to give your all to a circumstance or an individual without expecting anything in return. Time to get back in drive and try not to stall!