Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness
The key to energy and happiness is synergy. Unfortunately, many people are living with antagonism. Let’s take a look at the difference.
Synergy
Synergy is a force that causes your total energy to be greater than the sum of its parts. We experience the magic of synergy whenever we dedicate ourselves to work that fulfills us.
They say there is no such thing as a perpetual motion machine, but a human being working at something he loves comes close. I love writing articles for this Web Site, so my work makes me happy. My wife senses my good mood when she gets home from work, which helps our relationship, which in turn makes me feel even happier! My ever-increasing happiness, sense of purpose, and confidence makes everything I do easier and more enjoyable. That’s the power of synergy! If you spend your time in pursuit of something you find personally fulfilling, the positive energy spreads to every area of your life. You end up with more energy, not less. And your happiness is contagious, so it spreads to others.
Antagonism
The opposite of synergy is antagonism.
The term antagonism implies forces in opposition, which makes sense because we experience its harmful effect whenever we work in opposition to our internal motivations.
Figuring out your internal motivations can be hard work, but it’s a lot harder to spend your life doing work you hate.
I have a friend who hates his job so much that even a half-day at the office leaves him drained and grumpy. He comes home from work in a foul mood, which causes him to argue with his wife, which in turn further increases his stress and leaves him more tired and depleted. If you dedicate yourself to tasks that do not fulfill you, antagonism can spread like a cancer to every area of your life.
Reasons to Hate Your Job
There are as many reasons to hate your job as there are stars in the sky: bad boss, poor utilization of natural skills, unhealthy environment, unrealistic expecations. But even if you are lucky enough to find a job with a fantastic boss and stellar environment, there is one important question waiting for you at the top of the mountain. And that question is, Do you find the work fulfilling in and of itself?
Many people become frustrated with their jobs long before they ever reach the point of questioning their ultimate fulfillment, while others seem to live happily without any sense of purpose at all. But for people like me (and maybe you too if you’re still reading this), the need for purpose and fulfillment is a major driving force. After all, we spend more of our life working than we spend on anything else. Shouldn’t we spend that time on something that matters to us?
Living Synergistically
If you want to live synergistically, find something you are truly passionate about, then get behind the mighty plow of your life and start pushing. What things are you good at? What do you love to do? What activities cause you to lose all track of time? The answer to these questions may help reveal your natural gifts. These may be cognitive gifts, such as problem solving, number crunching, or abstract thinking. Or you may have emotional gifts, such as the ability to empathize with and care for others. Perhaps you have physical gifts, like strength, speed and agility. And the question is, Can you get someone to pay you to use your natural gifts to accomplish a mission you believe in?
Uncover Your Message
I believe everyone has a message inside of him or her waiting to get out. A message doesn’t have to be something you tell the world explicitly, but it should be something you want to communicate to the world through your actions. Your message is the reality that you want others to experience, understand, and appreciate. Quite simply, your message is your purpose in life.
So what’s your message? Is there a particular topic you love sharing with others? If so, maybe your message lies somewhere within that topic. If you’re not sure what your message is (like most people), I will help you discover it later in this series of articles. For now, the point I want you to remember is this: The key to reaping the benefits of synergy is finding a way to use your natural abilities to communicate your message. Once you uncover your message, the work will come flowing out of you like a river. That’s the perpetual motion of synergy at work.
Find a way to live your message, and synergy will be yours. And your life will no longer be about juggling all your obligations; instead, it will be about living the life you were meant to live.
You Are Reading an Article Series — Synergy, The Key to Greater Energy and Happiness:
- Intro: Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness
- 4 Steps to a Fulfilling Life Mission
- Discover Your Message — Synergy Step One
- Discover Your Strengths — Synergy Step Two
- Choose Your Medium — Synergy Step Three
- Choose Your Environment — Synergy Step Four
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Tuesday, May 1st, 2007 at 11:23 pm under
[…] Synergy, the Key to a Happy and Fulfilling Life […]
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:00 am[…] than the sum of its parts, whereas antagonism causes it to be lesser. You might be interested in my introductory article on synergy, which begins to explore how you can live a truly synergistic life that fulfills you, maximizes […]
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:05 am[…] than the sum of its parts, whereas antagonism causes it to be lesser. You might be interested in my introductory article on synergy, which begins to explore how you can live a truly synergistic life that fulfills you, maximizes […]
May 5th, 2007 at 6:46 am[…] a previous article, we discussed the power of synergy. Synergy is the powerful force that occurs when your daily […]
May 7th, 2007 at 5:20 pm[…] a synergistic life. If synergy is a new self-improvement concept to you, I recommend reading my introductory article on synergy and the follow up article on the synergy process before […]
May 7th, 2007 at 7:25 pm[…] synergy is a new self-improvement concept to you, I recommend reading my introductory article on synergy, the follow up article on the synergy process, and my article on message discovery before […]
May 8th, 2007 at 7:47 am[…] synergy is a new self-improvement concept to you, I recommend reading my introductory article on synergy, the follow up article on the synergy process, and my article on message discovery before […]
May 9th, 2007 at 5:38 am[…] Intro: Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness […]
May 9th, 2007 at 5:50 am[…] Symptoms of our disorder tend to flare up whenever we find ourselves in high stress situations. And for me, the most stressful situations have resulted from leading an unbalanced life. And when I talk about balance, I mean a balance between your internal motivations and your daily activities. If you are struggling to find balance, read my six part series on how to lead a synergistic life. […]
May 11th, 2007 at 7:58 pm[…] This article is the first in a series of 6 that will take a closer look at the first two bullet points above. Once you have taken your life back, you may want to focus on a subsequent article series dealing with the third bullet point, purpose fullfillment. […]
May 11th, 2007 at 8:29 pm[…] part series of articles that some of you might be interested in. The first article in the series is Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness. I will be expanding upon this article series within the next couple of weeks to incorporate more […]
May 16th, 2007 at 12:32 amI think its healthy to recognize your sense of purpose changes over time. What you choose to do as a reaction to this realization has the potential to contribute to new sorts of fulfillment. The idea of having enough courage to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses honestly is a really big step. Keep up the great work!
May 16th, 2007 at 2:38 amThanks for your thoughts, Liara! By the way, I completely agree with you that our sense of purpose changes over time. You just reminded me of another article I need to write.
That brings the list of articles waiting for my attention up to 34.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:43 am[…] to begin living your life with purpose. You can start by reading my six part series of articles on living a synergistic life. If you disagree with my methodology for finding purpose, pioneer your own. The clock is ticking, […]
May 17th, 2007 at 11:41 pm[…] our lives is negotiable, and we are free to choose our careers. If a part of you is crying out for meaningful work, look inward. Your answers are inside […]
May 21st, 2007 at 11:52 pm[…] precisely, but there might be something helpful there. Here is the first article in the series: Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness I wish you the best of luck and am confident you will sort it out. __________________ Visit me […]
May 24th, 2007 at 11:10 pm[…] Here is a series of articles that might help you get there, but the ultimate answer is yours alone: Synergy, the Key to Greater Energy and Happiness __________________ Visit me at John Place Online Most Recent Article:8 Ways to Increase Your […]
June 8th, 2007 at 2:51 amHello! Good Site! Thanks you! lifzqwmepdc
June 20th, 2007 at 7:08 pmSO TRUE!!! My family (germans) survived loosing WW II, using Synergy (and luck!!!).
I am one lucky individual that owns a trade: automotive mechanic.
And I love it. I never was in need of income or friends, thanks to my trade. Wherever I go, there are things to fix, mantain, overhaul…so my shop went mobile on wheels, and I work in a different environment every day(the machine owners garage). I also have a different Boss every day(the owner of the machine) and my relation with customers is very positive, much better than in fixed automobile shops.
And the Boss usually likes to learn about his vehicle, becoming my helper, apprentice & friend. (And cash provider…)
DonYan, barefoot mechanic
July 18th, 2007 at 2:55 pmThank you so much for your inspirational story, DonYan. I’m sure my readers will enjoy it as much as I did.
July 18th, 2007 at 4:24 pm[…] Synergy (series) […]
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:43 am[…] Synergy (series) […]
July 24th, 2007 at 9:22 pm[…] Synergy (series) […]
August 17th, 2007 at 11:18 pm[…] Synergy (series) […]
October 18th, 2007 at 8:41 pmhi
January 9th, 2009 at 9:08 amp3w5db4ln8jx0ze5
good luck
[…] is also true in terms of viewing oneself. Self-confidence is tied to having true happiness. True happiness can only come from within a person’s heart and believing in oneself is the only way to […]
May 6th, 2009 at 2:14 am[…] confidence is something that is really not strange and even the best of us have come across a time or […]
June 19th, 2009 at 3:25 amHi John,
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:29 amSynergy is not a new self-improvement concept to me , Whereas idea of antogonism which is opposite of synergy has helped me to begin to explore how I can live a truly synergistic life that gives me a fulfillment to a life of here and now.
Thank you,
Jones
This was a great article, it really spoke to me. I suffer from GAD and this really made me look at myself and my anxiety disorder from a different perspective. This is a great site and I will definitely be adding you to my favourites!
December 17th, 2009 at 11:26 pmAll the best.
nadia
John,
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:16 pmI am trying to come up with my message. I have been trying to before i read this article.. I have sort help from a psych and have been wondering if i can afford a life coach and/ need a job developer.. bcoz i am unsure what it is that i want to do (for a career)in order to feel satisfied. I find myself reaching out to friends and family and counselors and everyone I can around as i continue to feel overwhelmed. Can you suggest what besides introspection is going to help me understand better what i want to do for a living. I believe I have poor communicative and networking skills and my negative attitude hasnt taken me any far from where I am and where i was 6 mths ago.
Comments?