Always thought provoking and inspirational.  An excerpt from the latest Phillip E. Humbert PhD Newsletter. TIPS for Extraordinary Living! Written & Published by Philip E. Humbert, PhD
 www.philliphumbert.com  

Your Best Investment in 2011
Here’s a vital question: What is your most important investment? What’s the most important thing for you to “take care of” in life? That’s not a trick question! But I think it does have a tricky answer. Most people answer with things like their spirituality, their children or family, their career or health. If those are your answers, you may want to think again.

All of those things are important! But I’m indebted to one of my mentors, Thomas Leonard, for helping me dig deeper on this one. Thomas argued that what he called “self-ishness” was the most important thing in life. Ordinarily, we associated selfishness with spoiled children fighting over toys and it’s an ugly picture. But it’s not what Thomas meant. He pointed out that our first obligation is to figure out who we are and where we’re going in life. Until we discover
our “Self,” we are in a sense living someone else’s life!  And, here’s a critical point. Figuring out who we are and what we’ll do with our life doesn’t happen by accident! Carl Jung said that most people don’t figure this out until age 40. It takes a long time to grow up and take care of life’s essentials. As young adults most of us are busy with school and work, starting and raising a family and doing a thousand other things.

Fortunately, as adults we have the opportunity to step back and ask the big questions. Thomas was right about the importance of being “self-ish.” Each of us must figure life out for ourselves! But he was wrong about how we do that. Thomas developed a theory he called “personal evolution” and speculated that there could be an ordinary, daily process of evolving into the person we want to become. Frankly, as much as I admired him (he passed away a few years ago), I think
he was wrong about this. I think “existing” is easy, but growth requires hard work, and a plan. I much prefer the traditional term, “personal development.”
I think responsible adults must take charge of their own lives. Life expects us to learn and stretch. It expects us to set a course and develop skills. We have to try things, make mistakes, and commit to a path of growth and maturity. Anyone can grow old, but becoming a full human being requires effort, skill and persistence.

So here’s the challenge: Who are you striving to become? Do you have a plan? Are you making the daily investment? I don’t think this has to be “hard” or expensive. In many ways, it’s very easy! Think about this — would you rather live a chaotic life of distractions, problems and debt, or a life focused on a few carefully chosen priorities? I think in many ways, living a GREAT life is much easier than an ordinary one. Sure, it requires discipline. It requires hard choices and the integrity to stick with them. But in many ways, a GREAT life is actually much easier and infinitely more satisfying!

Here are four simple — not easy, but simple — steps:

1. Get clear about who you are, what you value and where you’re going in life. Be “self-ish” about this!

2. Develop a plan. What do you need to change? What do youneed to learn? Who will you be five years from now, and how will you make that happen? Take notes and write this stuffdown.

3. Take action every day. It doesn’t have to be dramatic action, but every day, stick with it. Read. Talk with smart people. Eliminate one or two distractions. Spend time on things that make you proud, that stretch and strengthen you.

4. At least once a year, invest time and a few dollars in yourself! Get away for perspective. Get away to learn. Get away to think! Get away so you can return clear-headed, focused and energized.

Here’s a good question: Who will you become in 2011? How will you change? What will you decide to learn? What (or who) will you eliminate from your life, once and for all? What new thing will you try? What will you see or visit? Who are you determined to meet and get to know? Be clear.
Write it down. Make it happen.