Way back year 1910, The Board of United States General appraisers held that cigarette cases are not “articles of personal adornment”. They claimed that cigarette cases are items you carry in your pocket for convenience and utility and that they are limited by their usefulness. I’d say they have yet to lay their eyes on the irresistibly chic cigarette cases sprouting in the market these days.

As Much for Ornamentation as for Usefulness

No one would argue that these cigarette cases are indeed useful. But why, they make your cigarette sticks very handy. Now you don’t have to worry about them crumpling or breaking into halves. But you’ll have to admit it. You are using them as much for ornamentation as for utility.

That’s how it is these days. The line between usefulness and ornamentation is wallowing in obscuration. The line between needing and wanting is fast disappearing. But why, mighty forces have inculcated within people a tenacious desire for luxury that quenching this desire has become as vital as having a roof on their heads.

Mindless Consumerism

Go ahead and blame the cunning advertisers for this unspeakably mindless consumerism. But what have you left to do but to join the bandwagon? After all, it’s part of the political animal that you are. You need to belong. You need to be one amongst the many.

You can make the situation work for you though. These things only become damaging when allowed to reach uncontrollable heights. Like they say, too much of anything is bad.

What’s in Store

There is nothing wrong with looking good. There is nothing wrong with looking gracious and respectable. There is nothing wrong with taking the extra length to look chic and sophisticated. And there is nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself, of exuding a lot of self-confidence. There is nothing wrong with that!

So go ahead and vie for those nice things. Go ahead and aim to be captivating, to inspire awe and confidence all at the same time. Then you’ll see what else is in store for you. When you look good, you become a tad more confident. When you’re confident, you’re willing and ready to face the world, to deal with people. When you’re ready to do this, you’re ready to become a person of substance, a person that contributes to his society.

Dangerous When Overdone

Now what’s wrong with becoming that person? What’s wrong with mixing utility and ornamentation? What’s wrong with shopping for cigarette cases that are as beguiling as they are useful? Just like smoking, they become dangerous when overdone. Too much consumerism is pure evil. But consumerism at the right amount is a beautiful mix of practicality and aesthetics.

So go ahead and make the things around you work to your advantage. Yes, they’re shrewd but you can be just as shrewd. There is no use sulking and playing the victim or dwelling in bitterness acting all revengeful. Life remains to be as you make it. So conquer yourself and conquer the world both in practicality and beauty!

Recall the last basketball game you attended.

Where you the player or the spectator?

There’s a stark difference between the two.

Players live IN the game, experiencing an adrenaline rush and living every moment in constant focus, drive and passion. They make things happen, exerting consistent actions committed to a goal.

Despite the risk of winning or losing, players are fully alive.

The spectator, on the other hand, sits from the stands. He watches and observes. His pulse pounds mildly- after all he experiences triumph or defeat vicariously from his preferred team. But do you think he actually enjoys the event as much as the player does?

Now here’s the difference: spectatorship costs you big time. It costs you the actual experience of the game.

The player literally forgets the rest of the world- time dilates and contracts as he pours his soul into competitive action.

The spectator watches indifferently, cheering when hoops are burnt and jeering when fouls are called. The former definitely enjoys the moment far more.

Are YOU living life as a player or spectator? Take an ecology check on your life

One thing I’ve observed with many folks is that they go through life forever experiencing great accomplishments saying “Someday, I’ll do that” “Someday I’ll do what Bill Gates did” “Someday I’ll ask that great woman out.”

Someday.

Say “Someday” often enough and you’ll never get around to doing anything at all. You’ll forever be a spectator. Never a player.

Isn’t this shortchanging yourself?

Someday is a deadly mindset. It prevents you from fully taking responsibility for living your life. Someday eases your Soul out of the equation of life.

I dare you. Turn your “Somedays” into “TODAY”. You’ll attract the grandest opportunities into your life and breathe new life into your soul.

Today!

Do you have a desire to spend more time giving to others but you don’t know where the time is going to come from? Have you tried several time management approaches all of which gave limited results or didn’t last beyond a few weeks or days? I had the same problem and so did my friend David.

David Perdew has just written a new book called “Bad Dad: 10 Keys to Regaining Trust”, is developing and teaching an online course, makes time for his family, and works a full-time job. Some students in his class have recently stated they don’t know how he does it all. I recently talked with David about his “secret.” It was no surprise that he has learned what I have.

You need to determine what your values and life purpose are and then spend your time doing those things that are most important to fulfilling them. Everything else should be delegated to someone else or not done at all. If giving to others is high on your list of values, you will make the time to do it more and feel great about it.

I spent the energy to determine my values and life purpose in my mid-forties. Some people might think I was going through a mid-life crisis (or man-o-pause as my friend Nick would call it). You are never too young or old to take your life purpose seriously.

The following two books were very useful to me and I highly recommend them both:

– “The Power To Be Your Best” by Todd Duncan
– “The Purpose-Driven Life” by Rick Warren

If you don’t know your life purpose at this point in your life, you need to take the time to discover it. It will be a life changing experience.