MONDAY BYTES – July 23, 2012
I first came across the term “right livelihood” in a career counselors’ workshop. It was used to describe a profession that’s a great fit for an individual—work that is satisfying on a number of levels (intellectual, emotional, etc.) I came to think of right livelihood as doing the kind of work that fired up all your synapses and activates your creative energy.
But I recently found the term actually comes from the Buddhist tradition, where right livelihood is part of the eightfold path, the road to enlightenment. It refers to doing work that causes no harm, that is ethical and honorable.
This gets at the issue of the impact of your work—the ripple effect you create in your community and beyond? Is the work you do helping to make the world a better place? I love this outward focus because it can help us get beyond our immediate needs and self-absorption: more gigs, fans, fame, money.
Nothing wrong with wanting these but it’s important to think bigger. To regularly consider WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and how your work effects others. This big picture thinking helps people align daily decisions with their values, so they can make better choices on the path towards the future they desire.
Questions for the week:
What’s the impact you want to have, the difference you want to make? What do you most want to be known for?
I look forward to hearing what you come up with! These could make really nice twitterings (if that’s your thing) or concise email if you prefer. When we have to limit ourselves to just a few words, we often cut to the chase and get down to core values. So email if you like (or Tweet if you prefer, use #musicimpact) your short 140 character limit answer! I’ll post these in future weeks (we can keep these anonymous for people who are shy) and be inspired by each other’s good messages!
Feeling stuck with this? Here’s a fun & quick Values Exercise to try!
Curious about working with me? Details are HERE.
Monday Bytes archived posts are HERE.
Dream big, Plan smart, Live well!
