What Do You Make Life Mean? Part 2

Setting Up Life’s Outcomes

Doing the thing when no one is looking is called Character. Doing the thing and not caring what anyone else is thinking is called flow. I loved this guest post from ZenHabits on the concept of Creative Flow.

My work flow when I write is based on not giving a damn what people think about my writing.  That usually doesn’t happen until I’m about to push the publish button then of course I do it anyway.  But whether it’s writing, playing a sport or playing a musical instrument, we all have desired outcomes we seek.

Or do we?

Following Flow Without Fear

As a musician and especially as a young teen (I was 13 when I started guitar) I wasn’t so much concerned with what anyone thought of my playing as I was wrapped up in my own self expression. The music I created was an extension of much more than just my emotions. It reflected my self identification.
For many artists this is what happens for them as well. Painters, photographers, musicians and writers all have it common. Their craft is an extension of their self identification.

For some people their background is very technical and they consciously & purposely sought out the skills to fully express themselves through a trade. For some it was more a natural progression of expression that didn’t require technical knowledge of their craft at all or it was a combination of both.

Whether they seek character validation from their work/art is to each his own.

These individuals you could say are living their purpose regardless of the starving artist title you may think have, they don’t see it. (That is probably only your perspective anyway and also a good indicator you’re living in outcome) They are quite happy doing what they do. Flow.

They don’t “set it up” in many cases. There is of course the many people who would desire riches for doing their work. There are just as many happy being able to keep the necessities of life (electric & food) in order to maintain their passion.

You’re the Creator of Your Outcomes

This one is a touchy subject so let me be clear about something. I had someone on Twitter early last year ask me, “So you’re telling me an abused child chooses to be abused?”

Absolutely not.

I’m just saying that eventually as a young teen or adult we would want to start taking responsibility for how we perceive our outcomes. If you can look back as a mature adult today and say, “I am still allowing things from my past to define me in a negative way today,” then it’s never too late to be who you are today.

“It’s our determined character that defines our flow.“-Me

• It’s time to believe you’re the powerful creator of your outcomes
• You emotionally assign the outcome.
• You define the meaning they have.

We are the powerful co-creator and you and I have to believe that.

We assign meaning to whatever happens in our life even if we don’t feel we created the circumstances of which we find ourselves in.
Example: I’m not sure the Jew’s manifested the holocaust by any means. But this is an example of  why Victor Frankl can go through the experience of a Nazi concentration camp and not be destroyed spiritually. He assigned a meaning and didn’t let the circumstances define his spiritual outcome.

Man’s Search For Meaning is a fantastic book that outlines the power of the human spirit and how you or I could define our life’s experience in such a way that serves us.

I wrote this post and part 1 immediately after writing my post My Arrested Development and a Shocking Discovery. (I do most all of my writing on Sunday in one sitting) Obviously I’m not clinically diagnosed with any severe clinical arrested development. My point was to fully experience my emotions. Fully embrace it, exercise it (here at the blog) and then determine what I’m going to have all of this mean.

What will you make your life mean?

How are you defining yourself based on your outcomes?

Are you coming from shadow or are you coming from light when you come to these conclusions?

We can conclude our personal perceptions and define them in a way that empowers us. Is that what you’re doing?