One often overlooked benefit of Independence Day is the symbol for what it represents for you personally. You are probably aware it represents freedom from tyranny, fear and the right to pursue your heart’s desire.
Yet, I mention this because many people think of the 4th of July as just a day off work – a day to watch fireworks and eat backyard grilled hotdogs. Sure, that stuff is fun. But let us not forget the real meaning of the holiday. We do not want to miss the important meaning like children who see
Christmas as being just about opening gifts.
July 4th is critical to your success and happiness. However, I am afraid many people just don’t get it! While you may understand the significance of Revolutionary war and signing of the Declaration of Independence, you may not be “seeing the forest for the trees.” You may not be
recognizing the gift our forefathers gave us through their bravery and foresight.
Where most people use New Years day to set new resolutions and goals for the coming year – it makes sense to do so it Independence day. July 4th has the added benefit of reminding us of the ingredient that is critical to our pursuit of happiness and fulfillment – personal freedom. Thus, I recommend, Independence Day become your midterm resolution setting day. It
can be your New Years day 2.0 where you not only celebrate the liberation of your country, but to decide exactly what you are going to do with the freedom you have as a result.
Technorati Tags: freedom, Goals and Goal Setting, Inspiration, motivation, Independence Day
You are free to work or not work. You are free to start your own business without naming the government as the co-owner or 51% shareholder in it. You can travel freely throughout the country or even leave the country if you wish. You are free to learn any trade you like, without having the government
decide for you. And the list goes on…
Some may argue the rights our forefathers set for us are being eroded by the current administration. However, people can use this as a convenient excuse for non-action. A quick look at history will contradict that argument. There were times in American history where people were considered personal
property of another.
As recent as last century, there were internment camps where American citizens of Japanese ancestry were taken from their homes. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, these Japanese immigrants were sent to live in isolated and barren conditions even though they had shown no disloyalty to the
United States
. While many argue a certain law has taken a freedom, consider the last time the military marched in and forcibly moved 100,000+ of your friends and neighbors into guarded camps with barracks made of tarpaper and wood. Consider the last time you or a friend could be the personal property of someone else.
So perhaps we are freer than we like to believe? If so, what are you going to do with this freedom? Are you going to squeeze the most out of it? Or are you going to use your freedom for the pursuit of leisure and TV watching?
Freedom can be cruel from the perspective of choice. As I explained before, you have the freedom to work or not work. You can read or not read. Before 1865 it was illegal to educate slaves (black people in the South.) Today, we all may seek any education
we like. Yet, how many of us follow education beyond high school and undergraduate studies? How many of us read daily in our chosen career field? How many of us choose to continue our education into our 30s, 40s and beyond?
That, my friend, is the subtle meaning of independence I hope to pass on. Grilling hamburgers and hotdogs isn’t enough. Shooting off fireworks isn’t enough. We must be smarter than that – or we risk squandering our freedom.
Freedom is difficult because you must make a choice. You can choose work or play, labor or ease. We can choose to think or let others think for us – thus granting others the power to direct our lives. The choice is yours. You can use this Independence
Day as New Years Day 2.0 where you reaffirm your direction, set or reset resolutions or devise new ways to take advantage of your freedom. In that sense, it is more important to your future than New Years resolutions because there is that addition of freedom to the mix. Freedom is so powerful, yet we take it for granted.
Imagine how your goals and resolutions would change if you lived in the
USSR
in the 1950s. You may have goals such as “I will feed my family at least 1 time a day.” Or you may be so stressed with living under communism you may have no goals at all.
So this July 4th, you have the freedom and power to choose any outcome for your life you want. But you must first make that choice and then use your freedom to work the plan until you get there.
{ 3 comments }
Good post.
Goes beyond ‘good’. Sadly, the people who really need to hear it probably won’t – those who never set goals for themselves, those who think that everything that happens to them is pure luck.
The grass is never really greener on the other side – you have to water and nurture yourself just like the grass to be able to say you are truly free. That means a life-time commitment to setting and achieving goals that include self-education.
Of course Achieve-IT! is/will be a great tool for helping map the road to the future!
Rod
Good post. I come from Malaysia where we celebrate our Independence Day every Aug 31. Unfortunately most of us treat it as just a fun-filled public holiday, an excuse to sleep in and go to the malls later in the afternoon. You article needs to be read worldwide!