The Fast Society has had such a short history and has delivered much that is good, and yet its time is almost up already. Isn’t it true that the Fast society has now become a Manic Society? The pace of life for many of us has accelerated past fast to manic. The word manic is derived from ‘mania’, which is a psychological term for an absence of intelligence, a type of madness, ‘a mood disorder characterised by a variety of symptoms including extreme motor activity, impulsiveness, possessiveness and excessively rapid thought and speech.
Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened – Winston Churchill
I have also worked with many ambitious entrepreneurs whose obsession with quick profits and fast results has cost them their health, their money and their happiness.
Of particular concern is how our relationships suffer in the Manic Society. Our frantic schedules cause us to skim across the surface of each other’s lives without ever really connecting. The mad rush dem ands so much of our time and energy that we have to resort to ‘quality time’, date nights, text messages and speed dating to connect with anyone. We excel at shorth and relationships in which we get each other’s abridged headline news, but miss out on any intimate heart-to-heart exchanges. The pressure to work harder is relentless and we often end up emotionally unavailable and socially isolated.
Mahatma Gh andi said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
Don’t Major in the Minor
In the history of the existence of the human species there has never been a better time than the present. Change is taking place at an exponential rate. Innovation is occurring every minute of the day and with this, opportunities are being born. However with all the dynamics that engulfs us there are still only about half a dozen things that make eighty percent of the difference.
If you want a very good marriage there are about half a dozen things that will enable that. Likewise if you want to be healthy there are about half a dozen things that you need to do and if you want to be really wealthy the same principle applies.
As I travel around the world coaching and working with executives and organisations I find that so many people are spending their precious time majoring in minor things. When I coach these executives I help them to focus on the few things that make the most difference. I have received great feedback from many of these executives who have told me how “Majoring” on the few things that make the difference has changed their lives, restored the zest in their marriages and in some cases saved their organisations from collapse.
When you meet someone who, over the past ten years, has bought 2000 lunch bars and only two books it will tell you a lot about where that person is in their life. Do not become a victim of yourself. Decide today what it is that is really important to you in your life. Once you have done this find the six things that will really make a difference. In a years’ time you will be amazed at the NEW YOU.
Dave Boreham is an international and professional coach, marketer, speaker, trainer, author, entrepreneur, family man and a citizen of humanity who draws together capacities, talents and dreams and drives them into a unified force for change and growth in people and organisations. Is author of the book, “Have Do Be Anything You Want.” He can be contacted on 031-7644230 or at dave@mcatraininginternational.com .