Attain vs. Attune.


I deeply admire those who’ve gone from being a striver to a thriver. I have to admit that just when I thought I was embracing my post-achievement life, I jumped right back on that treadmill. Of course, this makes no sense for someone who loves “time affluence” as much as I do. I love a leisurely Sunday at our home in Baja, napping on the outdoor mattress after a long walk with our dog Jamie. It feels good to attune with my privileged habitat in Baja. And I know it’s nirvana for my nervous system.

The simple line on my tombstone ought to be, “Nothing left to prove.” That said, when a big idea channels through me, it’s hard to ignore. It’s called a “calling” because if you don’t answer the phone, it just keeps ringing. Yes, I’ve moved from trying to satisfy a consumer need to addressing a societal need in my career, but I’m still full of attainment energy, and I feel I will need to atone later because I’m so focused on my goals. 

Both Santa Fe and Baja can be magnifying mirrors in unexpected ways. One of the fascinating observations that has surfaced for me in the past few years is how these two places reveal my default operating system. I tend to live an accelerated life focused on the finish line of success, yet both places help me get in touch with my HP. Yes, that can stand for Higher Power, but it also stands for Humility and Patience. It is when I slow things down and escape the ghetto of my ego that I feel a much deeper sense of attunement with everyone and everything around me. 

I’m not saying you should stop trying to attain or achieve in your workplace. But I am saying that it may be time for you to imagine a sport or way of being in your life where living in harmony with your surroundings pays great dividends in your experience and achievement. This won’t necessarily solve you meeting a crazy deadline for next week, but it will likely give you a new rhythm and ability to ride the waves that constantly emerge in your competitive work life.

How might you use your Attain vs. Attune pair of glasses to consciously determine how you want to live?

-Chip

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