A Real Desire, A New You! (Jan 10, 2010)
“What is my real desire in life?”, “what do I want to do with my life?” Questions such as these do come to our mind at different phases of our life such as when we were still a young man looking for direction at life, when we are facing mid-life crisis or even for senior citizens who begin to look for a fulfilling or purpose driven life after their children have grown up allowing them more time for themselves.
In his book “The Law of Success” (1937), Napoleon Hill said: “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” Yes, desire is neither hope nor a wish but a burning aspiration which transcends everything. It is the key motivating factor towards excellence and success at life.
In life, we often do much heart-searching. I am a person who always likes to encourage others to see their own uniqueness and potential. I have found passion in my career; I enjoy understanding the needs of cancer patients and the related management. It has been my desire to live a meaningful and valuable life. I find values in serving the sick and this makes my life fulfilling and contended.
There is a female friend of mine who had served as a bank officer for many years. For most of the time while working in the bank, she was happy, enjoyed her work and performed excellently; it was plain sailing. Then some changes took place within the bank and she was no longer happy. She endured her job rather than enjoying it. Though she grumbled about it in front of me frequently, each time she seemed to push aside her unhappiness and restlessness and told me (or rather herself) that the bank needed her, there was nothing else she could do and she would prefer to stay in her “comfort” zone though she was not happy.
Two years later, she left the bank finally and moved away under adverse circumstances. I met her another two years later. She looked a much happier person; she had started a small business that she had often wanted to. She loved it and enjoyed living in her new location. She told me: “How I wish I had done this much earlier!”
Many a time, frustration, restlessness and discontentment are signals or messages telling us that we are not living a life of our desire. However, we tend to brush them aside and prefer to maintain the status quo. We are ignoring our inner voice, our true feeling and our real desire. In fact, these are messages telling us that it is time for new things and change and time to take action.
Some know their life calling early in their life. However, they are in the minority and many do not. There was a woman who tutored autistic children in high school who later had an autistic child herself. Eventually, she bought a farm so that young autistic adults could come and learn in the setting of a farm. There is also a nun who has helped to open a day care centre for underprivileged children so that their parents can go out to work and earn a living. It is helpful to see how others have responded to their heart’s desire and undergone pains and overcome challenges along the way to live a fulfilling life and a life of purpose. It inspires and gives us insights on how we can do likewise.
What is your real desire in life and how to discover it? Recall things that you really enjoy doing, things that naturally motivate you. They may be your favorite hobbies, special interests or things that you enjoy doing at home or at work. They may also be some voluntary services to the community. One of my mentors told me: “If you reflect on your life and recall your most satisfying and meaningful achievement and experiences, you will discover a common thread among them.” Those satisfying achievement and experiences will tell you the hows and wherefores you found the achievement and experiences particularly rewarding. We must always live like a small bird that is ready to fly out of the cage it is living in. Are you ready to fly? Go all out to live a new “You” with your real desire.
Esther Law is a director, consultant, trainer, Past Division Governor of Toastmasters International, President for Lions Club of Kuching Host (2009-2010). Esther is also the Overseas Director of Fuda Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou, China. If you have any comments about this article you can contact her at lawleepoh@gmail.com
In his book “The Law of Success” (1937), Napoleon Hill said: “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” Yes, desire is neither hope nor a wish but a burning aspiration which transcends everything. It is the key motivating factor towards excellence and success at life.
In life, we often do much heart-searching. I am a person who always likes to encourage others to see their own uniqueness and potential. I have found passion in my career; I enjoy understanding the needs of cancer patients and the related management. It has been my desire to live a meaningful and valuable life. I find values in serving the sick and this makes my life fulfilling and contended.
There is a female friend of mine who had served as a bank officer for many years. For most of the time while working in the bank, she was happy, enjoyed her work and performed excellently; it was plain sailing. Then some changes took place within the bank and she was no longer happy. She endured her job rather than enjoying it. Though she grumbled about it in front of me frequently, each time she seemed to push aside her unhappiness and restlessness and told me (or rather herself) that the bank needed her, there was nothing else she could do and she would prefer to stay in her “comfort” zone though she was not happy.
Two years later, she left the bank finally and moved away under adverse circumstances. I met her another two years later. She looked a much happier person; she had started a small business that she had often wanted to. She loved it and enjoyed living in her new location. She told me: “How I wish I had done this much earlier!”
Many a time, frustration, restlessness and discontentment are signals or messages telling us that we are not living a life of our desire. However, we tend to brush them aside and prefer to maintain the status quo. We are ignoring our inner voice, our true feeling and our real desire. In fact, these are messages telling us that it is time for new things and change and time to take action.
Some know their life calling early in their life. However, they are in the minority and many do not. There was a woman who tutored autistic children in high school who later had an autistic child herself. Eventually, she bought a farm so that young autistic adults could come and learn in the setting of a farm. There is also a nun who has helped to open a day care centre for underprivileged children so that their parents can go out to work and earn a living. It is helpful to see how others have responded to their heart’s desire and undergone pains and overcome challenges along the way to live a fulfilling life and a life of purpose. It inspires and gives us insights on how we can do likewise.
What is your real desire in life and how to discover it? Recall things that you really enjoy doing, things that naturally motivate you. They may be your favorite hobbies, special interests or things that you enjoy doing at home or at work. They may also be some voluntary services to the community. One of my mentors told me: “If you reflect on your life and recall your most satisfying and meaningful achievement and experiences, you will discover a common thread among them.” Those satisfying achievement and experiences will tell you the hows and wherefores you found the achievement and experiences particularly rewarding. We must always live like a small bird that is ready to fly out of the cage it is living in. Are you ready to fly? Go all out to live a new “You” with your real desire.
Esther Law is a director, consultant, trainer, Past Division Governor of Toastmasters International, President for Lions Club of Kuching Host (2009-2010). Esther is also the Overseas Director of Fuda Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou, China. If you have any comments about this article you can contact her at lawleepoh@gmail.com
