The Framing of Your Life
By Bob McGannon

Many people ask themselves, "Am I happy?". It's a valid question, one which should be fundamental to our decision making process as we go through the stages of our lives. I would like to pose a somewhat different, though equally substantial question; "Should you be happy?"

The answer to this question differs, based upon what values an individual holds, and the degree to which those values and desires are satisfied at any given moment. However, the true question to ponder is, Are these values and desires truly yours, or are they values that are pushed upon us by society and the media?

Many people strive for what they have been told is "the good life". It's influenced by their parents, or by what they've seen on television. We've found that many people react with surprise when we say their values have been altered by television. We can't forget that the ultimate purpose for what is presented on TV is entertainment or to sell a product or service. The presentation of a balanced set of alternatives and a process for selecting between them is not a topic commonly presented during a 30 second commercial. The commercial is trying to get you to focus on your terrible dandruff problem! Breaking through the norms that society presents to examine what is truly meaningful in your life is key to answering our rhetorical question.

Numerous are the stories of people who are viewed as successful, with prominent positions in prestigious companies, who will admit they are actually miserable. Never are we confronted with the story of a person who, on their deathbed, states they wished they spent more time at work. Contrary to what many people think, we are not stating that work is not meaningful. People such as Mother Teresa would certainly contend differently!

The framing of your life is the key. Examine what is truly meaningful - to you - not to your peers, or your parents. It is soul-searching rooted in honesty. The answers may scare you, but will be the key to answering "Should you be happy?"

Framing provides a perspective of what is inside your life versus what is outside. Breaking down the elements of your life for examination makes framing more manageable. The elements for framing your life are time, passions, fulfillment and growth. Manage these elements, and the answer to "Should you be happy?" is "of course"!

Time - This is the most precious of elements, as it can never be regained! Where are you spending you time? If you had only one day left in your life, what would you do? The answer to that is the number one priority for WHERE you spend your time. Start by planning and implementing one change that adds 1 hour a day to channel towards your time goal - then beware, your perception of your life may change! After this, why not add an additional hour each week to that activity or place.

This leads to the question - can you make this place or activity an integrated part of your work, therefore making your work a more integrated part of your life?

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