This is important to paying attention to our roles, because it helps us to identify our strengths and weaknesses, which in turn helps us to make better decisions and form better relationships with others. It also helps us to recognize our roles in the larger scheme of things and to understand the impact our actions can have on others.
In order to fully be present in life, not only must we observe and address our realities without fail, but also decide proactively which roles and behaviors we want to play each day. Each of us can play one or a combination of five vital roles at any given time. A life without intention results from inattention to these possible roles. The more aware we are of them, the more we are able to activate our full potential in each moment. Having a purpose gives meaning to our lives and activities. There is no greater bridge to Now than the purpose.
Observer
The first role we can play in our lives is the observer or the conscious viewer. This is the role and responsibility we are charged with through the gift of self-awareness. As observers, we can float above our reality and view the totality of who we are in life and the minutia of how we are acting and reacting in the very moment. It is not a detachment from ourselves or the moment, but rather a careful observance of it. Those who have mastered this role can make a decision and almost simultaneously evaluate whether or not it is the right decision.
They can sense themselves doing, feeling, and thinking things, and know if those things are authentic. They notice when they are making poor decisions, being rude to others, and forgetting something important. They are vitally aware of themselves. They can sense a conflict brewing and feel their anger lifting yet choose not to act on that anger.
It is as though they have an internal dialogue: “Oh, I see that I am becoming upset about this situation. Why am I reacting this way right now? Will anger serve me in this moment? If I were responding as my highest self, what would I say and do right now? Self-examination is the key to mastering this role.
At various points throughout the day, we can stop and ask ourselves, “If I stopped and hovered over my life, what would I see myself doing, and why would I think I’m doing that?”? Is there a reason why I am feeling this way right now? Is what I am doing and intend to do going to bring about the results I want? As I sit here, I try to imagine what my mind, body, and spirit are feeling and needing and wanting right now. Our lives and ourselves become more connected when we grasp the concept of sensing ourselves. This must be our goal.
Director
As a director, our second role is to create our lives intentionally and consciously. Imagine life as a movie, and we can be the director who directs each scene and character. All decisions are made by the director, who is the ultimate planner and authority on what each character does, why they do it, and what they will do next. Every second of filming is determined by the director’s choice of focus. A compelling and meaningful story is shaped by the director’s well-reasoned choice of characters. There is much wisdom to be gained from this simple metaphor when it comes to improving our lives.
A person who does not direct the scenes and characters of the story of their life is unhappy with it. There was no plan for their story. Their lives were filled with wanderings between situations without any real purpose. Instead of focusing on the positive aspects of life, they often zoomed in on the negative. During important scenes, they allowed the wrong characters to enter. The big picture was rarely seen from outside the frame. When faced with difficulties, they act like whiny children screeching across the stage of life instead of being noble and heroic characters.
As directors, we must be detailed in our intentions for every scene in our story. What would we like the scene to look like if we were on a date with our spouse this evening? Is there a kind of person we would like to have at the dinner table? What will we look like and how will we sound? What will we say in response to her descriptions of her day? Can the scene be kept fresh with any surprises? We might be able to capture the entire evening as a romantic love affair if we were to see it through our own eyes. What is going to happen with this story?
The ability to direct our own movies gives us the power to choose our entire character and life’s arc. What will our character be? Will it be strong or weak, noble or selfish, stressed or peaceful, flighty or grounded? Do our days reveal something about who we are, and if so, what? In the next scene of our lives, what will we demonstrate and become? There is a lot at stake here. Through them, we can gain a deeper understanding of the story of our lives and avoid becoming lost in it.
The larger mass narrative is a boring story of conformity in which we become bit players in other people’s stories. So, let’s become more aware: What is our life’s story and what can we do to make it happen?
Guardian
Guardian of our mind, body, and soul is the third role we should pay attention to. Keeping ourselves safe from unwanted contaminants such as negative information, people, and habits is our responsibility at the gates of our lives. What is the frequency of our failure in this role? Information like this, tripe, and stupidity, are allowed to enter our minds.
By consuming words, images, and sounds from salacious sources that pretend to be relevant to our lives, we dumbly consume words, images, and sounds. We have the news media that pretends some ignorant and extremist perspective will enlighten us, the network that pretends the reality of a few entitled brats being filmed without a filter will entertain us, and the website that makes us feel miserable without its product. We neither become wiser nor less informed, nor are we entertained or numbed, nor are we richer nor poorer as a result of all this.
We become a part of everything we consume. Our psyche takes root in useless factoids and scandals, converting them later into stupidity and drama. A million times watching people be petty on television makes us prettier. The trite and the negative must not be allowed into our minds so easily. Information should be carefully considered as it enters our minds. In order to learn something, let us seek positive, empowering information to feed our brains and move us forward. We should choose entertainment that enlivens us and brings a depth of understanding or appreciation if we want to be entertained.
All the while, let us remain at our post as guardians of a healthy and vital mind. A person’s personality and destiny are shaped by what they see, hear, and allow into their brains. As guardians of our bodies, we must also take care of them. Common sense is thwarted by convenience in abundance cultures brimming with fake food. In favor of fast and sweet food, we choose what is real, whole, and good for us. Rather than guarding our hearts and souls, we have become gorgers, stuffing and poisoning ourselves, mindlessly polluting them.
The majority of people would feel guilty if they destroyed someone else’s property. Despite this, they destroy the very temple that their Creator created for them. It is time to pay more attention to what we put in our mouths in order to protect our health. Choosing a healthy diet and living a healthier lifestyle are not difficult. Reduce your portion size.
Choose mostly greens and whole foods for your plate. Foods with unpronounceable ingredients and processed foods should be limited. Sugar should be eaten in moderation. Keep your body healthy and strong by moving more and exercising several times a week. Make sure you drink enough water and get enough sleep.
There is no new information in any of this. Our bodies need to be cared for with a new commitment. Our motivation soon fades if we let our body’s energy wane. As we evaluate those we let into our lives, let’s be equally vigilant. Were tyrants, jackals, and jerks allowed to pollute our environment? We need to understand who is poisoning our potential and why they are there. Is it constant pain that we allow ourselves to suffer? What kind of people surround us? Are they whiners and haters? Everyone must leave. It isn’t enough to hope that they will leave- they will loiter until we allow them to.
Our happiness and humanity in life depend on us being fierce guardians. In many cases, this requires direct communication, letting others know they need to leave, adjusting their attitude, and being kinder and more supportive. Assertiveness and demand are required. This type of work is not enjoyable for anyone.
However, we should guard ourselves against sour humans. The same goes for surrounding ourselves with positive, kind, and inspiring people. Inviting them into our homes and circles, asking them to share their insights, we can reach out to them from the gates of our lives.
Warrior
The warrior is the next role. In the event that we sit at home and find life lacking, we must venture out to fight purposefully for something more. Dreams must be chased with boldness, fierceness, and unrelenting determination.
Fighting through obstacles means pushing aside our fears, struggling with conviction, and struggling with conviction. We must desire victory, to bring back treasures and glory, to leave nothing but the legend of our courage and strength on the battlefields of life. Without preparing for the long and arduous journey to mastery, we cannot make anything of ourselves or create anything meaningful. How can we win our next battle if we don’t have the right skills? Let’s get them as soon as possible.
Is there anything we will need in terms of tools and resources? Now let’s take a look at them. To reach the next mountain, who will we need to march with us for camaraderie and support? Let’s enlist them now and meet them. How can we ascend even higher if we sacrifice something? Don’t let it weigh us down on the journey if we don’t sacrifice it now. We must take stock of all our deep commitments in life before we can assume the role of warrior. During the course of his life, the warrior asks himself, What am I going to stand for? My loved ones deserve honor and abundance, how will I do that? How can I make myself feel alive through adventures?
What do I want and how hard am I willing to fight for it? It’s difficult work that reveals whether we’re cowards or warriors. The time has come for us to pause and reflect on our greater dreams and glory. We should be honest and brave in assessing ourselves, asking, “Am I really working hard toward my dreams?”? Can I consistently overcome little obstacles, or am I letting them stand in the way of my progress? In order to win, am I doing all I can to prepare myself mentally, physically, and spiritually? When it comes to life, am I acting with conviction and commitment, or am I simply plodding along?
Is there any area of my life in which I have struggled to succeed because I have failed to sacrifice or commit? Dreams must be fought for if they are real. As warriors, we must be hungry, ambitious, and courageous for the sake of our souls and our families. Warriors have a bias toward action-a readiness to act. Decisions are made quickly by warriors. Hedging, hemming, or hedging are not present. Warriors do not wait for perfect circumstances to begin their long march toward victory; they do not quit when tired or frightened; they do not back down from a fight when it is needed; they do not apologize for their boldness or strength. Conquests, when fortunes lie ahead, set them off, marching, marching, and marching.
They have gravity about them, a seriousness, and a commitment to their path. In spite of turmoil and uncertainty, they remain solid. In spite of their extraordinary fire, will, and discipline, others sometimes fear their ambition, and yet they always earn respect for their courage. “There they go,” say the spectators on the sidelines. There is a fighter in that person, and he or she will not give up.” So what are we fighting for? The question is deeply contemplated by true warriors. A warrior’s answer to such a question is one of pride and dignity.
Their commitments are important to them, and every small victory is celebrated, integrated into their identity, and celebrated joyfully with their tribe of fellow strivers. The fact that they are warriors is fully understood, and creating a warrior ethos, a legend as a fighter for things that are both important to them and larger than themselves is fully understood. Their lives are being given to something that matters. Stop making excuses and hesitations if you want to become a stronger warrior. To achieve our dreams, we must fight harder and longer. We should write down all the things we have been waiting to do as well as all the reasons why we haven’t done them. Consider whether we are progressing too slowly or being weak in our lives.
Hence, let’s recommit ourselves to march with courage toward our dreams no matter what, no matter what obstacles stand in our way. Our progress needs to be obsessive and fierce once again. In order to win the next battle, warriors must be stubborn and strict, committed to every discipline required for victory. Be so solid in character for the sake of our dreams and for the sake of the security and prosperity of our families.
Lover
We must never lose sight of whom we are fighting for during our quests. It is important to take care of those who need us and care for those who care for us. It is impossible to celebrate a victory and to live a fulfilling life without someone to celebrate with and share it with. It is therefore our duty as lovers to master our role.
It is a wonder that lovers are so capable of adoring and paying attention to others. By understanding and caring for others, they can contribute meaningfully to their lives. As a result of their heartfelt communication, they seek to enlarge the hearts of those around them by showing respect and empathy to them.
It may be one of the most challenging roles and responsibilities to master. Our relationships require more presence, more attention, and more purposeful tending than any other area of our lives, but how often do we cause our own disappointment, heartbreak, and separation? If just a few minutes of time, attention, and affection had been invested, all those wrecked relationships might have been saved. He yells at his daughter without taking into account her feelings or needs.
Instead of conversing with her spouse, the wife stares at her phone at the table. Recall a time when we were too busy to say a kind word to someone we loved. There would be no darkness or sadness caused by these situations if we focused more on love. We become better lovers when we reconnect with those who have already given us their hearts in a world plagued by distraction. Those we love deserve to have us look into their eyes once more when we stop all the looking around. There are more questions we need to ask them. What kind of day did they have, really?
What is the problem they are facing? In order for them to feel more alive and happier, what would they need to do? Is there a better way to care for and connect with them? What can we do to show even more affection and appreciation for them? Our loved ones‘ health and growth must be as important to us as our career growth. Are there rituals we can create to bring us closer together? Is it time to rekindle the passion and fire?
We’re moving forward together, aren’t we? Love fashioned each of us. Love is in our nature, and it beats in our hearts, and it soars in our spirits. Let’s reconnect with our hearts and each other’s hearts. Embrace this role with such vitality and power that the bright beams of our love stun, overjoy, honor, and energize those around us.
Leader
Our example is being looked to by men and women who count on us. It is up to us to provide them with direction and action. Leaders have a responsibility to be outstanding in their roles. Leaders are desperately needed in the world. The lack of them has led to so many individuals and institutions barreling blindly into the darkness.
Good character and the expectation to serve the common good are not being emphasized in society. Intoxicated by greed, mad passions, and intolerance, the world is intoxicated with greed, mad passions, and intolerance. The collective drive toward freedom, abundance, and hope for all is a horrible, directionless drive with spoiled brats too ignorant and proud to ask for directions, a careening vehicle headed toward catastrophe without leaders at the helm.
In order to lift humankind, we must begin again. To have any chance of making a real difference, we need vision and a disciplined, collaborative approach. A good leader inspires and sustains these things. Therefore, let us consider the question, “What can I do to make this world that I influence better?” Is there anything I can do to help others solve problems and achieve their dreams?
Is there anyone I can enlist and empower to help me accomplish something remarkable? In what ways can I make people around me more productive? Maybe we could stop society’s headlong slide into oblivion if more people asked these kinds of questions. Despite this, some people are afraid to take on leadership roles. Why do we have no excuse? Will we explain to our Creator, in the final reckoning, that He didn’t equip us well enough? Unfortunately, no.
In order to truly serve something greater than ourselves, we must let go of our excuses. You can learn a lot from history. A bold and motivated person with a clear vision and a sure voice was always present at the crossroads of each era when good decisions and progress were made. For our generation, let us be that example. Leaders are needed everywhere. During this time of crisis, let’s not ignore the needs of the world.
In our neighborhoods and communities, there are many things to volunteer for and lead. Our businesses are full of potential and power that is untapped. Now this is the time to do our best to identify those needs, to lift those around us, and to unite people once again in meaningful struggle and service. It’s time to take charge once again for the betterment of our world.
