Bliss Of Being : Our Natural State

Redefining Making It.

By Wayne Hoover

I just watched a fascinating youtube video about the relationship between work performance and monetary reward. Basically the video shows (with some very entertaining images) how increased monetary reward does NOT actually generate better performance from people in their jobs. Money doesn’t actually motivate us at all to create better things. The video goes on to explain that if we want to motivate others to create amazing things money is doesn’t help motivate. What does help motivate others is basically helping help themselves to gain a sense of meaning in their work. Meaning.

Shortly after watching the above video I watched this video by Gary V. on the shopify blog in which he said something that really struck me: “I made it…” And in the context of the interview- that means that he has made a lot of money now and is financially set- it probably also means that he is also fairly famous (heck I have read his book).

Now- take a look at that video by Gary V again. Do you really feel like he has made it? Even given his celebrity status and his million dollar business- do you really feel like he has made it? No- and neither do I. Why is this? This is the question that really struck me when I watched his interview- I didn’t really feel like he had made it at all when he said “I made it.” But at the same time I knew that in one sense of the term he had actually made it- he was famous and rich- but in another sense of the term- in a deeper- more accurate sense of the term I don’t feel like he has made it at all.

To me when I think of what it would feel like to “make it” I feel peace- I feel happiness- I feel creative- I feel inspired- and most importantly- I feel a sense of meaning in my life.

Giving and helping others feels great and gives meaning to our lives! It feels great to genuinely help and give- this is why the open source movement is so big (which is touched on in that first video).

So when I hear someone say they have made it- I don’t really care how much money or fame they have- because as we all know those things can’t make you feel everything that what we think with being on top creates- like happiness and peace. In other words gaining riches and gaining fame do not really mean that you have actually achieved the real objective of “making it.”

To “make it” means that you are happy- that you are at peace in your life- and more than anything you feel like your life is meaningful and that you are making a positive contribution to the world.

We really need to change the notion that making it means making a lot of money and becoming famous. Sure you might become rich and famous when you start to emit peace and happiness and meaning from every pore of your body- but __Fame and fortune can not make you happy- peaceful or give meaning to your life.__

Lets now define “making it” as when you have more peace- meaning- and happiness in your life- not when you have more money- fame- and things in your life.

So when someone says that they have made it- I wonder yea- have you really?

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