six words

I sometimes think Skype is the work of the devil. It can turn a well-meaning, productive day in to a three-hour chat with your brother on the pros and cons of Facebook, or a four-way insult fest with the people sitting at the cubicles next to you, or…like today…an afternoon long quest for the meaning of the universe in the form of life slogans.

My friend Amy (not IRW Amie…but another Amy who is equally as fabulous) owns her own company and was “interviewing” with another company for a project. In one of the emails, along with some innocuous questions, was this:

Can you summarize your life mission in six words?

Amy was fascinated – as was I. So we spent the rest of the afternoon working hard at our jobs (and by that I mean searching out fellow Skype-friends and asking them the same question). Can six words define you? In a life full of responsibilities and priorities and hopes and dreams – how do you choose? As Amy so eloquently put it “how you've lived until today, how you want to live, what you want to see in others, what you want for your friends/family, as a role model, how you want to be remembered, personal or professional or spiritual… then to take the whole thing down to 6 words for it ALL...” – it was quite daunting! Interestingly enough – some people were able to come up with a mission or two in just a few minutes, while some people are still pondering. What pops in to YOUR mind when you read this question?

So I’m going to post some of the responses here (including my own – with the *). These come from people of different genders, ages, careers…and when I put them all together in a list I felt uplifted, if that makes any sense. As if maybe by spending a few minutes (or all afternoon) thinking about this we might each be inspired to inch towards our mission a little each day. Please share yours if you are willing…and thanks Amy for turning my plain ol’ ordinary work day in to a quest for something better. Maybe Skype isn’t so bad after all! :)

Beth

Be proud of how I’ve lived

Don’t work more than you play

Success and happiness for all involved

Financial growth and a happy life

Live with honor, respect and loyalty

Serve others, live fully, be loved*

Set goals and do my best