At the end of the day there are a lot of ways to measure success and happiness. Wouldn't you much rather enjoy the things you have to do?
The answer is an obvious, "Yes!" That's why I have been on somewhat of a mission lately to talk about why you should make your most important thing your favorite thing.
Sometimes we dread doing the most important things. They might seem daunting because maybe they lack in fun. It’s important to figure out how to make your most important things your favorite things.
For example, my son, Crosby, loved trains when he was younger, so every week I made it a point to take him to the local train museum. Trains may have not been a major topic of interest for me at the time, but seeing my son more happy than ever was amazing. Pretty soon, I loved going to the train museum.
I also had a similar experience with my daughter. She loved fashion, so every year I took her the New York Fashion Week events. Am I a lover of fashion? No, but my daughter and I made this into one of our favorite things.
Recently I spoke with my fitness guru Dana Cavalea about this same concept and applying it to health, nutrition and working out. For me, when it comes to getting in the gym I make sure I have the best sneakers, the coolest t-shirts, my favorite music on, etc. I even DVR my favorite shows and I tell myself that I can only watch them if I'm on the treadmill.
Another interesting take I came across recently in The New York Times. If you want to be happy, there's a study that suggests you should buy more takeout and hire a maid, which really translates to the more money you spend to reduce the time you spend on something will lower your stress levels. Interesting.
Finding a way to enjoy the important things in life is vital. What are the most important things in your life? Are they also your favorite? If your answer to that question is no, find a way to change that.
