We live in a culture of productivity. Our identities are tied to and defined by what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. And this has led to a collective hustle for self-worth, driven by the non-conscious belief that if we do more, we’ll be more. And many don’t realize that there’s a difference between doing and being. This then leads to an extreme over-indexing on the doing side of things–– with not as much effort placed on the being.
For centuries, we’ve simply missed the value of being. All throughout schooling and education we’ve been taught to think creatively and critically, analytically and technically––which can be very valuable. But, they’re all related to the doing part of being human. Through this, ideas of self-worth become dependent on productivity and the attainment of goals. And allowing our identities to be reliant on achievement in this way quickly becomes problematic and can cause lasting inter-and intrapersonal complications. For example, this is why our anxious fight-or-flight systems are triggered in certain environments where we care a lot about doing well and fear inadequacy.
So, what’s the fix? How do we prevent these complications? How do we undo these dependencies when we don’t systematically talk about, teach, or practice how to be present? Well, first things first, understand that this is a commitment to continuous work that isn’t completed overnight. So, with that being said, where do we start?
An amazing first step is just talking about the inner experience. Then, after getting used to that, we can begin to really train and cultivate it. It’s about time we focus on being more first and letting the doing flow from there. Let’s recognize that our value is inherent and not contingent upon what we do. Once you prioritize being ahead of doing, you then have the freedom and mobility to experience each moment as it unfolds. You deserve to be grounded, be present, be authentic, and be you more often and more comfortably. Let us help you do just that…
