Do it with all your heart?

Servants do every task with equal dedication. Whatever they do, servants "do it with all their heart" (Colossians 3:23 NIV)

I was reading the daily devotion from Pastor Rick Warren and felt compelled to share this. I know some of you have differing opinions about this. Having said that the message can be seen outside of the context of religion too.

Its basically speaking about how whatever we do, we do it with all our heart, doing it passionately; as the Zen masters would say, "mindful".

Essentially when we have a "mind like water" and focus on the very task we are doing, doing it with absolute focus; that's when we are able to give our best.

Some practical steps I can share.

First, when engaged in any task, give it your fullest attention. The most important thing to do at any moment is that very thing you are doing right now. For instance when reading this if your mind is on the to-do list you've got to complete, then go do that instead. Its like the air traffic controller metaphor of landing one plane at a time. (Reference: Covey's 4 Disciplines of Execution)

How can one be in such a state, as NLP would called it, is simply this. Align it to your beliefs, values, and identity. If you believed that whatever you are doing add value to your life or that of others; then you'd do it with all your heart. Once you have that aligned, it will be in sync with your values, such as adding value to others. And with that it would allow you to live according to the identity that embodied those values and beliefs.

In addition, once you began to do it consistently, others will come to recognise it, appreciate it, and acknowledge it. Then it will further reinforce what you had believed in the first instance hence making you do it more, do it better, and do it effortlessly.

It will become a virteous cycle, my friend.

Your friend,
Melvyn Tan
(Sent from my Blackberry Bold)