The 365 Commitment asks us to think about what is most important in life and begin consciously acting on that. For me, this brings up the question of how should I live the rest of my life, what should I do with my time and effort?
I was watching a talk show many years ago and Dolly Parton was being asked the secret to her success. She said, that a person really needs to figure out who they are and then do that on purpose. Be that on purpose. This really struck me as being great advice. If we are developing our natural talents and abilities, it stands to reason that we have the best opportunity to provide value to others and enjoy doing it at the same time. Obviously she has taken her own advice given her unique career that features her particular talent and personality in spades. And, she is phenomenally successful.
Based on the Dolly Parton principle, I think we should develop out strengths and only work on the weaknesses that impede or restrain the development of our strengths or talents. Spending 80 % of your effort developing your strengths, and then spend 20% of your effort strategically shoring up weaknesses seems like a reasonable guideline to begin with.
If I want to live the rest of my life according to the Dolly Parton principle, then first things first, I need to take an honest look at what my strengths and talents are, and then find ways to employ theme to provide value to others. I think “providing value for others” is a euphemism that people who need to earn a living use; it means finding a way to ethically get paid.
Ben Wagner (113)
Member The 365 Commitment
