I’ve decided that life is pretty simple in ways – it’s made up of “drivers” and “distracters.”  In other words, each person has one or more factors driving who they are, what they do, and who they become.  On the other hand, people also have one or more factors distracting them from who they are, what they do, and who they become.  Drivers and distracters can be held in our subconscience or can be completely conscious decisions. Either way, a large part of the ways in which our lives evolve can be attributed to these two elements.

So what does that mean and why should you care? Awareness and acknowledgment of what drives and distracts you can ensure you are living in and developing the life that you truly want.  In other words, you can more fully maximize your mind and personality while enjoying a more rewarding life through accurately pinpointing your drivers and distracters and making adjustments as necessary.  Here’s an example in a different context: a person who has been diagnosed with ADD or OCD can subsequently learn how to not only manage, but maximize their so called “deficiency” because they become consciously aware of the hidden inner workings of their mind and personality.  This newfound awareness helps them understand who they are as a human being and what makes them tick.  Whether or not they choose to use medication to assist with their deficiencies, just the simple act of acknowledgment can lead to a more productive and rewarding life.  In that same regard, by recognizing and acknowledging what drives you and what distracts you, you can more fully manage and maximize yourself.

To ensure we’re on the same page, I’ll roughly define what these two terms look like:

• An example of a “driver”: You want to be wealthy, so you get up each day and work hard so that one day it will happen.  You want a family, so you work hard to find the “perfect” wife and then work hard to have kids.  You want a great job, so you go to college and put in the time and effort to make it a reality.
• An example of a “distracter”: You feel out of control of certain elements of your life.  So, to make your life more bearable and enjoyable, you subconsciously (most of the time) choose distracting endeavors in order to make you feel more in control or more satisfied.  For instance, people have bought material possessions, had a kid, got married, taken a vacation, taken up a hobby, or read a book all because they simply wanted to be distracted.  They may not have fully realized this, but those distracters eventually take them to a life they thought they wanted before they realize they never wanted it at all, they were simply caving to distractions.

Is it that simple? Are drivers good and distracters bad?  Not necessarily. There isn’t a tangible, concrete line between the two and there isn’t always a crystal clear answer. It takes individual judgment, thought, and meditation to brainstorm and determine which activities and thought patterns are driving you or distracting you.  Awareness and acknowledgment will help you balance yourself and achieve more peace and achieved goals.

There is a funny thing about life.  It’s common knowledge that if you don’t make decisions on your own, someone will make them for you.  It would be a monumental task to compile a list of all of the people who have led their lives simply via inertia.  They build up a particular paradigm of who they should be, what they should do, and how they should feel about it.  It’s almost like there is an invisible list of expectations based on demographics, background, money, etc… that only a select few choose to altogether throw out.

It may seem completely counter-intuitive, but only in a life with no expectations can you fully maximize who you are.  It’s not until you fully peel off the ideology that each of us has been fed since day one and recognize that we are all unique. In fact, not only are we unique, but the epitome of a fulfilling livelihood can be achieved by simply becoming more aware of ourselves, becoming less content to accept the status quo, and by actually choosing for ourselves our drivers and distracters. So many people view the lives of celebrities, athletes, authors, and people living-it-up with fun jobs, happy marriages, and fulfilling family lives and convince themselves that those are just “lucky” people and those results can’t be achieved in their own lives.

In my opinion, elements of your personal life can be compared to the life of a business.  It amazes me sometimes how business people will develop a plan, include controls and contingency plans, and constantly re-evaluate the progress and life of their business to ensure it becomes what they want it to become instead of what it will become simply from the waves of the market.  This is a point worth remembering: whether you’re talking about your business or your life, if you do not consciously choose your drivers and distracters, you could potentially end up living in a life that you never wanted or owning a business that is something far different from what you dreamed about.

Here’s your homework: over the next few days, take a little bit of time to think about what could potentially be driving you and what could potentially be distracting you.  Go ahead and ask your spouse, family, or close friends if you want an outside perspective as well.  Then, ask yourself what you want your life to look like in a year, in five years, in ten years, etc…  Now you must examine what is lacking in your life right now from the life you want to have.  After doing so, you may find you should play a little “musical chairs” with the drivers and distracters in your life.  The goal is to evaluate and potentially reorganize your priorities as you ensure they are in line with your long-term vision for your life.