Krabi, Thailand March 16, 2008. What Matters to You?
Not what is important to you or what you like or what you are supposed to be doing? The question that began a life changing inquiry for me is What Matters to You, as in what activity or thing or being that for you when you’re engaged with that gives you the experience of full-aliveness, satisfaction, power, fulfillment, being in the zone, this is it. Like that what matters.
Originally I came-up with Being CONTRIBUTION & ADVENTURE is what matters to me. And I have been on this trip for 8 months discovering distinctions and variations of Contribution and Adventure.
So recently when I camped and snorkeled and walked the beaches and jungle of Mu Koh Surin National Park islands off the west coast of Thailand (see separate story) I was surprised by an insight in what matters to me. SNORKELING Island Life is the “this is it”, the what-matters for me.
Snorkeling on pristine coral reef off a paradise island is what matters to me. What is surprising about this is that it has always been so obviously what matters to me yet I had not seen it before. What I noticed is the experience of ahhh, that I get when I snorkel this paradise coral reefs, and walked the scenic beach, and gazed at the jungle surrounded by water and sky. Ahhh, here I belong, this is my element, I am at my zenith of power and confidence and freedom.
Then I noticed that in the background of my whole teen and adult life is snorkeling. The Hidden Agenda has always been snorkeling. Specifically, “when will I be going snorkeling”, as in when will I have saved enough $ to go snorkeling, or when will I have enough time-off to go snorkeling, or when will I be free to go snorkeling…
Snorkeling as in free-diving, swimming with mask & snorkel and swim-fins in the ocean over/around/ down on a coral reef. Holding my breath and descending 30, 40, or even 60 feet along a coral wall to view all manner of ocean life close-up and personal. Covering 2 or 3 km of reef in 3 to 5 hours of snorkeling. It is massive exercise and I am beautifully present and alive the whole time.
I had known that I like to go snorkeling, and that I want to go snorkeling, and that I avoid settling down. But now I have clarity that it is the desire for What Matters to Me that has me avoid settling-down, being stuck in the rat-race. With this new clarity I can now plan accordingly and create a life that forwards and is consistent with What Matters to Me. With much less guilt or distraction.
So I can retire to Mu Koh Surin islands a few months a year and be happy engaged in What Matters to Me. Or at least so it seems to me now.
So What Matters to You? Know this such that you can retire and be engaged with that for the rest of your life (retired or not).
That 1st answer is ok. But I encourage you to continue thinking about it as you go thru your life. Like me, You might discover something surprising.
Not what is important to you or what you like or what you are supposed to be doing? The question that began a life changing inquiry for me is What Matters to You, as in what activity or thing or being that for you when you’re engaged with that gives you the experience of full-aliveness, satisfaction, power, fulfillment, being in the zone, this is it. Like that what matters.
Originally I came-up with Being CONTRIBUTION & ADVENTURE is what matters to me. And I have been on this trip for 8 months discovering distinctions and variations of Contribution and Adventure.
So recently when I camped and snorkeled and walked the beaches and jungle of Mu Koh Surin National Park islands off the west coast of Thailand (see separate story) I was surprised by an insight in what matters to me. SNORKELING Island Life is the “this is it”, the what-matters for me.
Snorkeling on pristine coral reef off a paradise island is what matters to me. What is surprising about this is that it has always been so obviously what matters to me yet I had not seen it before. What I noticed is the experience of ahhh, that I get when I snorkel this paradise coral reefs, and walked the scenic beach, and gazed at the jungle surrounded by water and sky. Ahhh, here I belong, this is my element, I am at my zenith of power and confidence and freedom.
Then I noticed that in the background of my whole teen and adult life is snorkeling. The Hidden Agenda has always been snorkeling. Specifically, “when will I be going snorkeling”, as in when will I have saved enough $ to go snorkeling, or when will I have enough time-off to go snorkeling, or when will I be free to go snorkeling…
Snorkeling as in free-diving, swimming with mask & snorkel and swim-fins in the ocean over/around/ down on a coral reef. Holding my breath and descending 30, 40, or even 60 feet along a coral wall to view all manner of ocean life close-up and personal. Covering 2 or 3 km of reef in 3 to 5 hours of snorkeling. It is massive exercise and I am beautifully present and alive the whole time.
I had known that I like to go snorkeling, and that I want to go snorkeling, and that I avoid settling down. But now I have clarity that it is the desire for What Matters to Me that has me avoid settling-down, being stuck in the rat-race. With this new clarity I can now plan accordingly and create a life that forwards and is consistent with What Matters to Me. With much less guilt or distraction.
So I can retire to Mu Koh Surin islands a few months a year and be happy engaged in What Matters to Me. Or at least so it seems to me now.
So What Matters to You? Know this such that you can retire and be engaged with that for the rest of your life (retired or not).
That 1st answer is ok. But I encourage you to continue thinking about it as you go thru your life. Like me, You might discover something surprising.
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