
BLOG POST: Meaning over POSSESSIONS.
The ultimate and sophisticated way to play and win any game is to play it in a winnable way. This requires authenticity more that resources. The outside world is tangible and limited while the inside world is intangible and limitless. How much happiness can you get? How much time can you get? Although some argue that time is an illusion , we might assume in this case to be limited because of the 24hr time zone which we have created. Meaning , we can say time is limited . We can't have 25hrs only R25.
Time gives us perpective. It helps us to recognize patterns. Patterns helps us to create an advantage of anticipation. Anticipation is the ultimate advantage in life and business. If you know what could happen, maybe you can respond and make a better decision.
This is very long so let's go into it. We live in a society that equates self - worth with networth. Making it difficult to value oneself if you don't have enough resources. Making lot of money feels like winning and winning seems to be ultimate game. We should have money. We should aspire to have impact and influence but not in the expense of our own joy. Happiness drives everything. You don't want to be chase something and at the end you become unhappy.
As humans, our behavior is centred, grounded and build from needs. We have six basic human needs others argues is seven. Let's focus on six ( not arranged in order).
1. Significance.
2. Certain.
3. Variety\ or
4. Love.
5. Growth.
6. Contribution.
This mean, our behaviors every single day is subjected to meeting two as pyschologists says, of these needs. Henc e, it is possible to love someone and they feel unloved. You might be satisfying your need while believing you are making them happy. How? If a child values or recognize love from his or her parents through praisal messages and words of encouragement , which the need in this case is significance , he or she might be frustrated if the parents doesn't say it. The parents will believe they love him maybe because they buy him toys or send him or her to the best schools. In this case the needs which drive parents might be contribution and growth.
( We will discuss human needs in another post .)
We have already discussed about money and whether it makes you happy. Money buys possessions and experiences. The meaning we link to POSSESSIONS and EXPERIENCES is what makes us happy. Little money doesn't cause sadness and more money doesn't cause happiness. A kid can grow in a family of modest means and still laughs and feel complete. This is because his or her identity about happiness is different from that of his parents.
Therefore, we need to possess possessions without allow them to possess our souls. We make money and we lose money but we shouldn't lose ourselves. Once we have shelter and enough food, we want meaning.
To be continued...
