Are You Following Your Heart?

by Robbie Vorhaus on April 18, 2011

in One Less, One More™

I Will Follow My HeartAre you following your heart?

Take a moment before you make the next decision, or begin your next task, and ask yourself, “Am I following my heart?”

Of course, you’re operating on a budget, against a business plan, To Do list, goal sheet, and flow charts. You’re proficient in mind mapping, Gantt charts, and spread sheets. But, before you go any further, ask yourself, “Am I following my heart?”

The real question to ask before committing to your next project, new job, brand extension, or extended territory, is, “Am I following my heart?”

Hold off just for a moment on tweaking your SEO, computing bonuses, identifying new channels, creating new social media, hiring your next star, signing a new partner, digging for new business, designing a new logo, or uncovering new revenue streams. Get quiet and ask, “Am I following my heart?”

You were born with a purpose. Do you know it? When you close your eyes at night, are you grateful for your day?  You can be, if you follow your heart.

I speak to audiences all over the world. The first question I ask is, “Who wants to be happy?” Everyone raises their hand.

My next question is, “Who is happy?” The room becomes tense and quiet and only a few brave souls raise their hand. And then I ask, “Who would like to know how to be happy and fulfilled today?” Once again, everyone raises their hand.

You, like everyone, want to be happy. So do this. Don’t worry about knowing why you were born or your purpose while here on Earth. That answer will come. What’s more important is that you follow your heart. And the way to follow your heart is remarkably simple:

Every day, find just one thing that doesn’t feel good, and do less of it. Maybe for you that’s smoking, cheating on your spouse, lying on your taxes, gossiping, over eating, criticizing yourself or others, or feeling bad because you’re single. It doesn’t matter. Choose one thing that doesn’t feel, and today, just once, do less of it.

Conversely, choose just one thing that feels fantastic, anything, and do more of it. Maybe for you that’s baking, making love with all the lights on (or off), dancing, golfing, learning how to make a YouTube video, writing a personal blog, walking dogs at an animal rescue like ARF, or volunteering at the local soup kitchen. Today, consciously choose at least one thing that makes your heart soar, and just once, do more of it.

One less. One more™.

You will not die wishing you had gone to more conventions, made more money, drank an extra shot, or been promoted to chief executive. If you die regretting anything, it will be that you didn’t follow your heart.

Before you go back to work, make the next call, or move on to the next assignment, ask yourself, “Am I following my heart?”  Now you know what to do.

Follow your heart. Tell your story. Change the world.

 

photo credit: manu_el_o_matic!

Tagged as: ARF, One Less. One More™, YouTube

  • Jeffsander

    Great advice. I’m going to follow it!

  • http://www.psychotactics.com Sean D’Souza

    The fact is that on your deathbed it doesn’t reality matter what you’ve achieved or not. You’re probably on too much medication. But going through life without joy and happiness
    is like a death sentence (without the medication).

  • Sean D’Souza
  • Fred Gratto

    To be happy you need to figure out what really drives you. Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Computers offered this advice: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Following your heart and your intuition is a great idea because it’s no fun trudging through life doing something you’re really not too interested in doing. Author Stephen Covey wrote about this scenario and referred to it as the clock and the compass. His view is that every day, each one of us is using the moments of our lives. We are consuming our clocks. However, many of us are not headed in the direction we want, we’re not doing things we find fulfilling, we’re not making the difference we want to make. Sometimes, our compass is pointed one way and we’re going another way and that’s not good.

    Just as Covey pointed out, I’ve noticed that some people spend a lot of time doing things they are not passionate about, just because they need a job. Every day, people receive goods or services from someone who doesn’t seem to care. We’re all familiar with the unconcerned flight attendant, the surly repairperson, or the sullen checkout clerk. Sometimes at a restaurant or the hardware store, if I see one of the employees moping around I’ll ask them: “Good morning, are you glad to be here today?” Most times, they are a little hesitant and slow to respond as if they’re wondering if I’m a spy, but almost always, the answer is “No, not really.” Then I ask: “Well, what would you being doing if you weren’t here? What else would you like to be doing?” My wife gets a little embarrassed when I do this but the responses are interesting and I think our short discussions are helpful. I really do. Sometimes we talk for five minutes or so before they have to hustle off to another task. I’m glad my father coached-me-up and prodded me a little bit when I was a lot younger and needed even more advice than I do now. He often told me: “Follow your imagination, not your history.” – Fred Gratto

  • Terry

    Thank you for the reminder. It’s easy to forget and get lost in the every day.
    Great job, Robbie!

    This also reminds me of a quote by my former boss, James A. Nassikas, “The
    never-ceasing menace of mediocrity calls for eternal vigilance.”

  • Anonymous

    I think we both miss those golden years at the Stanford Court in San
    Francisco. Thank you for your comment, although in truth, I always write
    what I’m need of remembering; kind of like talking to myself w/ a lot of
    friends who share my path. Sending you love and light, my friend. Namaste.

  • Anonymous

    thank you, sean. you are an example of someone following your heart
    everyday. visit sean at http://www.psychotactics.com.

  • Anonymous

    thank you, Dr. Gratto. after hearing your father’s quote, it’s
    clear the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. namaste.

  • Ray Crockett

    Robbie: I always open your emails with trepidation because I know I won’t find inside a link to a silly YouTube video or borderline tasteless joke or political comment. I know I’ll have to think before I respond and your latest is no exception.

    I thought that when I retired, kicking back and doing whatever I want would be following my heart. I find instead I am accomplishing less than I intended, reading and learning less than I planned, and generally recalibrating routine to a different set of tasks and obligations. I’m finding I’m enjoying the small amount of consulting I’m doing — I suppose it’s comfortable to do what I always did. I keep opening Travelzoo every week and thinking, “There are at least four places in there I’d like to go . . . so why don’t I go?”

    I like your simple plan: do less of something you hate and more of something you love. But sometimes as much as you wish it otherwise, there are things you must do in life, like them or not. And sometimes following your heart isn’t so much a matter of effort, it may be simply overcoming inertia.

  • Anonymous

    thank you, Ray. overcoming inertia is a great place to start.

  • http://www.traditions.jp Lynn Matsuoka

    Thank you for this. It is just what I need,and have posted to to my facebook page for everyone else..Lately I spend my days doing what believe is needed, avoiding what I WANT to do( be the artist I need to be) as that is the FUN part, always thinking the work should come first. But I may be wrong about that…. you give me a chance to re think that- thank you.
    Lynn

  • Anonymous

    i, too, often forget the FUN part to do what i think i HAVE to do.
    thank you for that reminder.

  • Prajnawood

    Robbie–I have learned through the school of hard knocks that it is very
    important to follow ones heart. In India there is a saying–If you did not
    find a spiritual path in the second half of your life–you wasted the first
    half. I am grateful I have not wasted the first half of my life. Having
    said that I needed to use my head in order to find and follow my heart.
    Happiness comes from serving others but does not always pay the bills so I
    try my best to have balance between my head and my heart. I am currently
    teaching meditation to paitents at a new Rehab in East Hampton , Very
    rewarding, also I shall be teaching meditation -evenings here in Sag Harbor
    starting in May. I can say for sure that when and if I have the means to
    dedicate myself completely to mt heart path–I shall. Namaste–Scott
    —– Original Message —–
    From: “Robbie Vorhaus”

  • Anonymous

    i love your spirit, Scott, and so grateful for your comment. the
    Hamptons are lucky we have you here, and i send you love and light.

  • Yagarmeister

    Hello Robbie

    Thanks again for the simple yet necessary insight. It’s true that it really is simple in practice once you have managed to sift through the almost infinite amount of mental and emotional debris and minutia. It took me years of searching and coaching to come to the conclusion that it’s about choice. I can wake up in the morning, look at the world around me and CHOOSE what I focus on. I can choose to listen to the news about economic hardships, and unemployment and use it as an excuse to justify my failure, or I can work harder and adapt for strength. I can CHOOSE to wake up and work hard because I am afraid I’ll fail, or I can wake up and EXPECT good things to happen to me BECAUSE I work hard. I can CHOOSE to be dissatisfied because others have more than I do, or I can be grateful because I have more than others less fortunate, and have the opportunity to get more if I choose. To me it’s about CHOICE.

    We are all adults, and are at the position we are in life primarily, though not exclusively, because of the choices and decisions WE make. Life offers us. It does not owe us. We have a choice!

    So if you ask me if I follow my heart…Have no doubt! I may not always like or even agree with what my heart tells me, but I trust my heart’s right hand mate- my conscience. When the two agree, I usually make the right choice.

    Have a productive day! Best always,

    Joe

  • Anonymous

    Thank you, Joe, and you’re right, it’s all about choice. We choose
    our life, we create our future. Namaste.

  • Dianne West

    I like this. One Less. One More. I saw your post on a widow’s blog and wondered what that title referenced. I’m going to give it a try. I lost my husband 7 months ago and there are many changes I’m having to learn to live with. Following your “one less. one more” idea may be just what I need. Thanks!

  • Anonymous

    Hi, Dianne, thanks for your kind and compassionate thoughts. One Less, One
    More is just one path on your journey to happiness and peace, with the
    simple belief that if you do just ONE LESS thing today that doesn’t feel
    good, like beating yourself up, gossiping, or lamenting the past; and also
    adding in ONE MORE thing that does feel good, like pursuing a passion,
    connecting w/ a friend, or doing something physical, you are now heading in
    the direction of your desires. Give it a try and please stay in touch.
    Fondly, rv

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