The Aim of Life

Posted by Fiona Harrold | No Comment

“The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for.”

That was Oscar Wilde speaking, a good few years ago, and I agree with him! The challenge for you and for all of us is precisely this – to realize your nature perfectly.

We’re talking about your intrinsic potential, your innate talents. If you’re American you might say, your signature strengths!

One of the greatest challenges you face in realising your nature is your ability to get on with others. If you can’t build partnerships and alliances, inspire trust and support, you may find it more difficult to express your potential and talents.

Your communication skills with the people around you will hinder or help your entire passage through life. I have worked with numerous talented people who are utterly competent in their career and should progress, but are hindered due to their poor social or “people skills.”

Dale Carnegie wrote the seminal book How to Win Friends and Influence People over fifty years ago. That book has sold in its millions, and continues to sell today.

Its message can be summed up in one sentence:

“Try honestly to make the other person feel important, and do it sincerely.”

The best way to make a person feel important is to listen to them, to give them your full, undivided attention. In coaching language, this is known as Level Two listening.

If you don’t do this, you cannot coach well. And if you do not do it in your life, you will not make another person feel important.