For reasons beyond my comprehension, I have always adopted the approach of being a listener rather than a talker, I guess on the theory that you can learn more by listening than talking.
With that in mind, I have had a keen interest in hearing people engaged in conversation describe how they would characterize their life experience to date: Acceptable, Good, Great, Challenging, Intriguing, Exciting, Thrilling, Interesting, Structured, and so on. The next step has always been to continue listening to try to define why they have adopted their particular adjective to describe their time on this planet and what made one adjective distinct from another.
Inevitably, those males and females, young and old, of all colors, who selected Great, Exciting, Thrilling, Interesting and the like led active lives that included land sports like golf, water sports like yachting and boating, attending gala events, practicing a challenging profession, and similar activities.
After conducting these “silent interviews” for years, one fact became quite clear. Those who experienced the most satisfying ways of life not only engaged in many of these activities but did so on their own “home courts.” In other words, if they liked boating, their level of pleasure was highest when friends joined them on their boat, or for a round of golf at their golf club, or attended gala events for which they were sponsors or had been part of the organizing group.
My “subjects” experienced greater pleasure when others were enjoying what they had been responsible, in whole or part, for creating. I, too, could relate to this because from my early days I pumped up my blood pressure jumping horses against professionals, running marathons in far flung places, and joined in organizing events benefiting local or national charities. The more I compared my experiences with those of my subjects, the more certain I was of the inevitable conclusion.
That conclusion is simply that your life will be more meaningful and exciting from the very beginning if you participate as a principal in activities and events and not just as a bystander or ticket-holder.
