Be a Boss: Over Your Life

This is part one of the "Be a Boss" series.

If you haven't found something worth dying for, you aren't fit to be living

What do you live for? You woke up this morning, stretched, yawned in some freakish voice (hello morning breath!), scratch ya' bum and began the day. Some time tonight you will (hopefully) rest your head on your pillow, (hopefully) mumble a prayer, read a few pages of a novel, (hoping even more) read a few pages of your Bible, wish your Tweeps a good night, send some love interest a good night text or turn over and actually kiss him or her good night. Tomorrow you will (fingers crossed guys) wake up and do the same again. But for what?

If it’s a business that you run, if it grows, it grows. You control more market share, you affect price direction, have everyone owning or wanting a piece of your merchandise, you make tons of money then? You can only spend so much of it. Even if you buy the cars off the Top Gear magazine you can only drive one at a time, and once it’s yours, then? If it’s houses: you buy one off MTV Cribs, 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, heated swimming pool, cinema, moat with a boat, wall-to-wall aquarium with sharks and comes with a pet Saber-toothed tiger, then? Even if your bed is made of cotton wool, once you’re asleep, your unconscious self doesn’t care if it’s sleeping on a bed of silk or on a 22-year old blanket thinner than the newest smartphone that can’t seem to keep your feet and your neck covered at the same time. With your 10 toilets, you can only sit on one at once and on either of them, the result is the same: a tear-in-eyes-type smell for the next unlucky user.

I am not belittling success, ambition, diligence and industry, a desire to want a better quality of life even if a 15-bedroom house is your idea of it. On the contrary, I would encourage it. Work hard! But what for? If your ultimate dream is to acquire a horse, one you get it what happens? You know? You dream bigger you say? Then when you achieve your bigger dream? Dream even bigger? Nah man. You can't live like that. There has to be a bigger reason, a higher purpose to which our effort is directed. To start us off in that direction, I think one needs a personal manifesto (The Art of Manliness writes on this well here). Which raises the question, whaat ees? The blokes at Mirriam-Webster define a manifesto as "a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer." We know what personal means so taadaa, personal manifesto.

I consider it a statement of intent; a declaration of purpose; a theme over your life; your life’s “how.” Sort of like a mantra over your daily living. A standard of life and daily living to which you strive. Think user’s manual over your life that you refer to on a daily basis. Yes, daily folks. The power of a manifesto or mantra or whatever cool saying you try to espouse in your life is in your commitment to it. A key ingredient to getting committed is repeating it every damn day until it is clearly etched on the inside of your forehead that you can see it clearly every time you close your eyes.

Let me elaborate on this manifesto mumbo jumbo further using some snippets off my actual personal manifesto.

My manifesto explains how I will speak, what I will listen to and how I will act and react to situations:

Because my words have power over life and death I will be careful to speak only life- encouragement, comfort, peace, unity, love, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be careful not to listen to or watch things that do not exalt the name of the LORD… I am confident and courageous in the knowledge that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength… I will live the words of Invictus: Under the bludgeoning of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed. And for the glory of God, I will pursue excellence in everything I do.

My manifesto tells of how I treat my body and why:

I will respect my body for it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not even a hint- the mere thought of sexual immorality- shall not take root in my mind. I will honour my God with my body, preserving myself for the one who God has set apart for me. For the glory of God.

I will eat right. I will work out each day. I will not allow myself to get unkempt or out of shape. For the glory of God.

My manifesto tells of how I will relate with others and why:

I will be a friend to anyone and everyone in need. A shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a comforting voice for anyone in need. For the glory of God.

My manifesto tells of my relationship with God:

I will use my gifts, talents, abilities and all opportunities given to me to minister and spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ the risen King. I will be bold in my testimony. For the glory of God.

I will read my Bible and pray every day. Seeking truth and wisdom in God’s pages and I will work hard to live a life pleasing to Him… I will live a life that honours Him, His sacrifice on the cross, His grace as to save me and His blessings in my life. I will remember that this life is but a temporary one and my home is in heaven and to this I push forward. For the glory of God.

And the most important bit of a manifesto, commitment to it:

To this I commit.

(Insert signature)

While my manifesto is not my “why,” it spells out my “how:” how I intend to live my life each day as to help me get to my “why.” Not how I am living it, but how I am working to live it. I do fall short of the standards I have set apart for myself but I will get there and at worst, I will get better and become a better man. That's what it's all about.

Do you have a manifesto, a mantra or any cool sayings that you try to espouse in your daily living or are you that guy or girl from the morning breath bit at the beginning of this article who just goes with the flow?