What do you want to be?

Published: 10 April 2014

Alan Hosking (HR Future magazine publisher)

Ask any child what they want to be when they grow up and they will either say they don’t know or will give you a dreamy eyed answer. The truth is that we never answer this question correctly because we continually look for the answer in the wrong places. It’s only when we realise what the question is asking that we can answer it properly.

It doesn't matter how young or old a person is, the answer to the question, "What do you want to be?" is the same. The answer can be summed up in one sentence … More than you are right now.

Every human being from birth to death, so long as they have consciousness, wants one thing - to be more than they are right now. That explains why a baby has a drive to learn something new all the time and will try to sit up, crawl and walk. It wants to be more than it is right now.

Ask an eight-year-old how old they are and they will answer, "Eight and a half," or, "Almost nine." Why? Because they want to be more than they are right now.

Why do teenagers want to do the things that adults do? Because they want to be more than they are right now. Why do all of us try to get a good education? Because we want to be more. Why do we put in long hours at work? Because we want to earn more and achieve more so we can be more.

Why has Bill Gates given away 90% of his fortune and left Microsoft? Because he wants to be more. He wants to be more by doing something to help people around the world.

Why do people rob others? Yes, you guessed it. They want to be more. They mistakenly believe that robbing people is the best way to become more.

So the question to ask yourself is: why are you doing all the things you're doing? If you think deeply about it, it's because you want to be more than you are right now.

Once you have established this, the next thing you need to get clear is what is 'more' to you. 'More' is different things to different people. To some people, being more is about having more. They therefore expend an awful amount of time and energy on acquiring more material possessions. They will also sadly get themselves into debt in order to buy a big house or a luxury car or other luxury goods all because they think that these things will make them be more than they are right now.

To others, being more involves growing intellectually, spiritually or emotionally. Material goods may therefore not necessarily be an important part of their 'being more'. This explains why monks, nuns and other religious people will dedicate their whole lives to the service of their religion. 'More' to them is not physical or material but intellectual, spiritual or emotional.

Becoming more is therefore one of the most basic yet significant qualities of being human. It is a quality that has caused the human race to get as far as it has - to progress from walking to riding a horse, to riding in a horse drawn carriage, to riding in a motor vehicle to riding in a massive airliner. It is a quality that has motivated medical people to look for and find cures for ailments that killed thousands of people decades and centuries ago.

What is 'being more' to you? Only you can answer that question. I urge you to do so in order that you can get clear in your head and your heart what you need to do or become to be more than you are right now.

When you have a clear idea of what 'being more' is for you, you will be able to actively take the necessary steps to become more in your own unique way. As you do this, you will start to feel fulfilled because you will be fulfilling the purpose you were created for - to be more than you are right now!

About the author: Alan Hosking is the publisher of HR Future magazine, www.hrfuture.net, @HRFuturemag, and assists executives to prevent, reverse and delay ageing, and achieve self-mastery.
- Alan Hosking

Tags: Regenesys,