In today’s busy world, people often feel overwhelmed with the demands of day-to-day living. Things seem to move faster now than they used to, we live in a global world now, technology has blurred the lines between work and non-work, and we have so many more choices than we did even ten years ago. As a result, people often find themselves reacting to individuals, things, and situations outside themselves – e.g., family members, friends (those who are virtual as well as those that are physically present), co-workers, customers/clients, employees, the work environment, the economic environment, neighbors, community issues – whose needs seem to be more immediate and/or more important than their own. Over time, they become more focused on satisfying others’ needs than their own. First responders and those in helping professions are trained to put others’ needs first – especially in life and death situations – and their own needs last. In some cultures, deference to others is the norm.

Except possibly during a literal emergency, living an “others first” lifestyle is a huge mistake. Why? Because unless you make yourself your top priority, taking care of your needs before turning to those of others, you cannot possibly do and be your best. By not taking care of your needs first, you are shortchanging others as well as yourself. Paradoxically, you must make the time to take care of yourself in order to serve others (and yourself) well.

Here are some of common outcomes that people experience when they do NOT make themselves a high priority. They:

– short-change the important people in their lives.
– find themselves doing things they really don’t want to do (e.g., travel too much for business, take on commitments they’d rather not).
– feel paralyzed because everything is a “high priority” and they don’t know where to begin.
– feel like they have no control over their lives.
– worry that they’re not up to the challenge of “doing more with less” in a workplace constrained by scarce resources.
– have trouble making decisions.
– spend a lot of time and energy unnecessarily worrying about whether they’re meeting others’ expectations.
– find they’re not doing the things that make their hearts sing.

Why would anyone choose to live this way? Contrary to what you might believe, you do NOT have to suffer through the negative outcomes that result from misaligned priorities. How different would your life be if, instead, you experienced outcomes like these?:

– A renewed sense of personal purpose or organizational mission.
– A life characterized by ease rather than struggle.
– A healthy, joy-filled life.
– The serenity that comes from knowing you are making the world a better place.
– The ability to serve others in a more profound way.
– Dramatically reduced stress levels.

YOU are the only person preventing you from achieving positive outcomes such as these. You have a choice about whether you go through life experiencing the types of negative outcomes listed above, or positive outcomes. The difference in the quality of life when you make yourself your top priority, vs. putting others first, is incalculable.

And that is the paradox: by changing your priorities so that you focus first on yourself, you are able to do greater things for others – as well as yourself.

If making yourself your top priority is of interest to you, I invite you to join me on August 2nd for a free teleseminar called The Paradox of Self-care: Inspiring Greatness in Yourself and Your Organization. During this one-hour call, you will learn how to:

– Create a YOU-centered life
– Develop and sustain the mindset required to make yourself your first priority
– Use language to transform your world
– Break through obstacles that prevent you from living your passion
– Inspire yourself and others to greatness

Whether you’re ready to embrace positive outcomes such as those listed above but don’t know how to claim them, or you’re skeptical that focusing on self-care truly can make your life easier and more joy-filled, doesn’t it make sense to invest one hour of your time in learning HOW to lead a healthier and more inspired life?

Click here to register or to learn more about how you can re-focus your energy and attention so you can inspire greatness in yourself and your organization.

© 2012 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.