Summary

The article emphasizes aligning daily activities with one's life purpose to achieve true productivity and fulfillment.

Abstract

The text argues that productivity extends beyond completing mundane tasks; it involves engaging in activities that resonate with one's personal aspirations and life purpose. It encourages readers to identify and pursue passions, such as writing, singing, or personal growth endeavors, to lead a joyous life. The author suggests that by prioritizing these meaningful activities and setting aside time for them, individuals can overcome common excuses like lack of time or self-doubt. Drawing inspiration from real-life examples, such as Grandma Moses, the article motivates readers to dismiss age as a barrier to pursuing dreams and to embrace the courage to act despite the fear of failure. The ultimate message is that by daring to dream and taking action, one can live without regrets and find contentment in their efforts, regardless of the outcome.

Opinions

Productivity is not just about completing chores but about engaging in activities that align with one's life purpose.
Daily tasks should be viewed as a means to free up time for more fulfilling and creative pursuits.
Individuals should allow themselves to dream without the constraints of practicality, much like children do.
Common excuses for not pursuing one's dreams, such as lack of time or self-limiting beliefs, are unfounded and should be challenged.
Age is not a valid reason to avoid pursuing passions or trying new things, as illustrated by the example of Grandma Moses.
Fear of failure should not deter one from making an effort, as the effort itself is a form of success.
The pursuit of dreams and the willingness to try new things lead to a fulfilling life, marked by the contentment of knowing one has given their best.

The Key that Unlocks the Door to a Joyous Life

Redefine productivity. Be productive. You’ll go to sleep with a contented smile on your face every night.

By productivity, I’m talking about more than completing the items on your daily chore list that’s posted on your refrigerator door, such as grocery shopping, cleaning the house and paying the bills.

I’m talking in global terms.

A productive day is a day when your activities are aligned with your life purpose.

Granted, the chores still have to be done. You need food in the fridge, reasonable sanitary conditions in your home and you don’t want collection agencies chasing after you.

But, there’s far more to having a productive day then getting chores accomplished.

Getting the chores done frees you up to do those productive activities that breathe life into you.

The activities that excite you. That bring out your creativity, that allow you to explore your talents. That help you learn more about yourself.

For me, those activities include …

writing (I am “sooo excited” in this very moment because that’s exactly what I am doing)
practicing my singing lessons (I love singing and performing, beginning way back to when I was 5 year old singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in my grandparents living room to the adulation of my parents and grandparents).
attending Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families 12 Step meetings (I’m learning to love myself exactly as I am for the first time in my life).

What Activities Speak to Your Heart?

Perhaps, you never gave it a thought. Or haven’t for a very long time.

No worries. It’s very easy to get caught up in just getting done what needs to be done and then bugging out. Watching TV, playing games on your cell phone, getting caught up in Facebook and the like.

As the cliche goes … “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Let’s get going.

Free yourself of all distractions. Sit down with pen and paper or at your laptop. Think about the activities that speak to you.

Let your imagination soar. Forget about practicalities. That’s the problem with us adults. We don’t even allow ourselves to dream without letting practicalities get in the way.

Put yourself in the mindset of a young child when there was no ceiling on your dreams. When after watching images of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, you made up your mind you were going to be an astronaut when you grew up.

Perhaps you’re a writer and your dream is to write a book and get it published. Then, work on it with the mindset that it will happen.

Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, but it certainly won’t if you don’t set it as a goal and believe it’s possible. If the book deal doesn’t happen, bravo to you anyhow. You wrote a book. That’s one cool accomplishment, most worthy of celebration.

Dare to dream. Be optimistic and brave enough to do your best to make your dreams come true.

What’s Holding You Back From Going For It

I’ll cut to the chase … excuses, excuses, excuses.

Here’s the ones on the top of most people’s lists.

I Don’t Have Enough Time

Nah … that doesn’t cut it.

You may not have enough time to do everything, but you have time to do something. Even if it’s for a half hour a day during the week, and a handful of hours on the weekend.

Prioritize. For sure, there are some bug-out activities you can cut back on, You’ll survive with a couple of less hours on Facebook per week.

Make your day longer, by waking up a bit earlier, or going to sleep a bit later.

Bottom line. If you care enough, you’ll figure out a way to carve out the time.

Who Me? I Can’t Do That

Can you spell “self-fulfilling prophecy?” Because that’s exactly what it is.

It’s time to stop believing the “can’t do” stories you have concocted. They are pure fiction. You are paying a heavy price for being married to your self-limiting belief system.

You deserve better. Treat yourself as such.

I’m Too Old

Another utter BS story.

Grandma Moses started painting at 78. She continued painting until a few months before her death at age 101.

She sold her first painting for five dollars. In November 2006, her 1943 work Sugaring Off sold for 1.2 million dollars.

She didn’t let age get in her way. Why should you.

Hey, I started writing a few months ago shortly before turning 68. I’m having a blast. I live and breathe it.

It’s not about the money.

If I’m going to make .2 million (I’ll leave out the 1), it’s not going to happen through Medium. Nor Small or Large (excuse my humor, please).

Nor will I make the .2 million through my stand-up comic routine … lol.

Seriously, life is too short. When you’re in your final days, I don’t want you to be reflecting back on your life, wondering “what if …”

Fear of Failure

There’s no failure in giving your best effort, so what do you have to be afraid of. Go for it. Do your best, and see what happens.

Be proud of yourself for putting in the effort, in the face of your fear.

Last winter, my wife Donna and I sung the duet “Do You Love Me” from Fiddler on the Roof, in front of an audience of about 200 people in a talent show at our retirement community.

She was afraid to do it. Which was understandable, as let’s just say … “she knows she’s not about to make it into the final rounds of The Voice.”

She decided to not let her fear get in the way of having fun. And of sharing the exciting experience with me.

On the heels of our singing the last song line (“it’s nice to know”), those same 200 people were enthusiastically clapping their hands in appreciation of how adorable we were. Notice I didn’t say how talented.

Post-performance, Donna was exuberant and told me she most definitely could see doing that again.

Takeaways

Go for it. You will not regret your efforts, I promise. That’s been my experience every time I’ve pushed the envelope by trying something new.

You deserve to live out your dreams as fully as possible.

Please, please give yourself a shot. You may think you know what you’re capable of, but you don’t.

You can’t know until you put in the effort and see where you end up.

Regardless of where that may be, you can go to sleep with a content smile on your face, knowing that you did your best.

That’s success.