Bruce Kasanoff* suggests there’s a four-letter word that is not used often enough when it comes to setting our goals for future action.
This issue requires me to use a four-letter word, and I am hesitating to use it — but not for the reasons you might think.
My fear has nothing to do with offending you. The word isn’t a curse. It’s not crude or offensive.
However, the word is widely misperceived, especially when used in a business context.
The word is love.
I’m not talking about romantic love — I’m talking about love in its widest possible definition, as the single force that most strongly influences the behaviour of human beings.
It’s taken me decades to realise that love is something you can decide to put at the centre of your life. Here are some examples.
I want to pour love into everything I do, from being a leader at work to preparing a simple meal on a regular weeknight.
I want to approach every human being with love, showing them my best self and demonstrating that my intent is to help — not hurt — them.
I want to fill my life with love, both giving and receiving, and fully recognising that the presence (or absence) of love is what most greatly influences the amount of fulfilment that human beings experience.
Let’s step back for a second. Our society actually treats ‘love’ like a four-letter word.
We don’t acknowledge openly that human beings raised without unconditional love will spend the rest of their lives trying to find it.
We don’t admit that nearly all our actions are rooted either in the painful perception that no one loves us or the uplifting belief that we are loved and cherished.
If you want to understand why much of society is screaming at each other, it’s almost certainly related to the fact that many of us do not feel loved.
You can have more money, power, fame and possessions and still be miserable, but if you experience a life filled with love, you are likely to be delighted with your life.
For this reason, I’d like to suggest that the vast majority of people — until now, myself included — have a glaring omission on our list of goals: We don’t say a word about love.
Here’s my new number one goal: To add more love in every corner of my life.
Are you ready to make a similar leap?
PS: Writing this column coincided with the publication day for my good friend, Ayse Birsel’s tremendous new book, Design the Long Life That You Love.
It’s a great place to start.
*Bruce Kasanoff is the founder of The Journey, a newsletter for positive, uplifting and accomplished professionals. He is also an executive coach and social media ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at kasanoff.com.
This article first appeared at kasanoff.com.
