WorldWide Drilling Resource

48 MARCH 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Special Tip by Tim Connor Who are you? “Don’t waste your time taking anything personally. Whatever people say about you is just a projection of their image of you. It has nothing to do with you.” Miguel Ruiz Who are you? I'm not referring to your name, address, or other specific descriptors you might use like position, race, religion, age, gender, etc. What I'm asking is, who are you when you peel away all the facades, fears, desires, history, goals, or status? I mean real- ly - who are you? Not just your beliefs, values, opinions, or expectations. I'm sure you are wondering by now - what's left if you don't include any or all of the above? In the privacy of your own mind, soul, body, and spirit - who are you? Have you ever thought about this, or have you been too busy acting your way through life - day after day? Almost all the people I have met during my world travels for a number of years have put forward a facade of who they were due to their need to be accepted, liked, respected, or perceived as successful, nice, thoughtful, caring, or wise humans - blah, blah, blah. Why do we spend so much time worrying about what other people think about us to the extreme of letting this agenda impact our "real" selves? Why do so many people struggle with accept- ance or the need to appear smart, suc- cessful, or in control of their life? I don't know about you - but on a number of occasions I have been guilty of this behavior wanting, no needing your approval regardless of our relation- ship - a total stranger, friend, relative, or someone very close. As I look back over these times, I am filled with inner turmoil as to why I let your opinion of me influence me. Yes, we all should be respectful of others. Yes, we should all be compassionate. But does a person's reaction or response to us have to be ruled by political beliefs, race, gender, or any other situa- tion or l ife choice you have made? I have had more than I can take of political correctness - it's getting out of hand. If I don't like you or you don't like me, why do we have to pretend the o p p o s i t e ? J u s t walk away from me and don't include me in your future - it's that simple. You don't have to tell me why, I'm okay with you just walk- ing out of my life. So back to the question - who are you? Or better still - are your behav- iors, personality, or actions congruent with who you are - or do you too find yourself on occa- sion stuff ing the real you in front of a boss, friend, spouse, or customer? Yes, I understand certain parts of us should remain private - in our own minds - in certain situations and they should not find their way into the public arena, but I'm not talking about that stuff here, but everyday things like the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you carry yourself and your will- ingness and ability to be honest with your opinions, feelings, or beliefs. We are all entitled to our personal opinions and perceptions, but it doesn't mean they are right or everyone else should embrace them. If we do give up this control, we are just letting others decide who we are or should be and that, my friends, is none of your concern. So who are you? Why not ponder the following questions: 1. What are your secret dreams? 2. When you don't act the way oth- ers think you should and they point this out to you - how do you feel? 3. If you were not responsible to or for anyone in life, what would you be doing differently now? 4. When you are with certain people, are you really yourself? Why only with them? 5. On your deathbed, what regret do you want to be sure you don't have? There are two types of regret - things you did, and things you didn't do. Why not come up with some of your own? I'll leave you with an important ques- tion: Is who you are determined by what you do, or is what you do and how deter- mined by who you are? In His service, Tim To receive Tim’s weekly FREE motivational booster articles, contact him at www.timconnor.com with “please add me to your free booster e-mail subscriber list” in the subject line. Or contact him via e-mail at michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com though we hear about it all the time these days, it actually took place for the first time on March 17, 1949. What is it? Find the answer on page 54.