Three Most Important Things in Life

I subscribe to a few business-based Bulletin Boards. This week, a question was asked of the readers.

"The 3 most important things in life....In Life we all encounter success, happiness, pleasure, despair, failure, suffering, frustration, the unlovingness of our own hearts and of those around us, and so on and at the end of it all we know some day we are going to die but we love struggling. The struggle of aspiration and achievements never comes to an end and throughout the journey we follow certain principles, morals and ethos. What, according to you, are the three most important things in life?"

Many responses from the readers included "happiness." If you have attended any of my keynote sessions, you already know I don't subscribe to happiness being the result of anything. Here is the answer I wrote:

"Although happiness seems to be prevalent in the other answers, I believe that happiness is NOT a result: it's a choice. No job, no spouse, no amount of money, no thing or person will ever deliver lasting happiness. (Momentary joy perhaps but not happiness). Therefore, happiness is not on my list.

1. Mission - something to wake up to every day and look forward to accomplishing. Some of us do it in our work. Others dream about one day having a mission. Having a mission for your life gives your life meaning and purpose.
2. Integrity/Values - knowing the difference between right and wrong and having something to stand for. As the saying goes, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
3. Appreciation/Thankfulness - from self and others. Being able to count one's blessings daily gives you a positive perspective. Feeling appreciated for your contributions makes one want to contribute even more.

Three things. Three very important things. All leading to success."

This morning, I received an email from the originator of the question thanking me for my answer (see Item #3) and choosing it as the best of all of the answers. Does the answer resonate with you too?