09/11/2014
Quality vs. Quantity:
Although a common saying and debate, it’s something I have heard multiple times and was said to me just the other day regarding a rather complex and difficult situation. It resonated with me as if I was hearing it for the first time. This is a concept that has grown increasingly important and of significance as of late, to me. Quality vs. Quantity is an idea that can be applied to many areas in life and is something that should be constantly revisited and evaluated to ensure that quality is consistently residing OVER quantity.
Friends: As you grow older and mature, you will notice that your once large circle of friends that was used for the measurement of “popularity purposes,” has been refined to a close circle of tight knit, loving and trusting friends and this, this is okay, this is absolutely more than okay. It’s not to say that there is anything wrong with meeting new people and broadening your friendship circle because there isn’t, but those friends, and you know the ones I am referring to, the ones that would pick up the phone for you at 3 a.m. when you locked yourself out of your house or car or just plain lost your keys, ran out of gas, or just had a heart-wrenching breakup, the ones that you haven’t spoken to or seen in a year or more due to physical distance, marriage, kids, life itself, however, when you do take the time to reconnect it’s as if the time apart was never a factor…those are the gold friends, those are the once in a life-time type of friends, and those are the friends worth keeping and keeping close. Having a close group of friends that you can truly and utterly be your complete and crazy self with, those friends that will love you through the think and thin, good and bad, those friends that bring you laughter during the storms, those are the quality type of friends that are worth keeping.
Money: Before you call me crazy, hear me out. Obviously, having a plethora of money is never a bad idea, ever, however; how you choose to spend your money, how you choose to invest your money, and how you choose to earn your money should be based on your own definition of Quality over Quantity. Choose to spend your money wisely; on things that will only make you richer, i.e., travel, family, education, a home, anything you deem is important to you and your self-worth. Choose to invest your money in quality places, i.e., retirement plans, savings accounts, stock options, whatever you feel is going to grow your money and create a safety-net down the road and not in places that will drain your investments faster than you can say, “I wish I had started saving at a younger age.” And lastly, however you choose to earn and acquire your money, ensure it is something that provides you value and substance - - because this will make the money accumulate easier, faster and will make it that much more enjoyable and rewarding to watch as it cultivates.
Passion: Is it good to be passionate about a lot of different things, um, yes! Is it even better to focus that passion and desire on a few things and in turn, grow these aspirations from thoughts and ideas into hobbies, checked-off bucket-list items, careers, goals, etc., yes, yes and YES! Always dreamed about writing that novel, learning another language, moving to another country, or even just dabbling in art? Take that energy and focus it on those steps that are required to get you from A to Z, but don’t loose sight of the in-between. Try not to let your focus get so big that you loose vision for the beauty in the creation itself. Concentrate on the quality of your work, the start line, and work your way to the finish, but don’t let quantity take over.
TIME: When you give your time, make sure it is in the form of merit and worth. It's easy to give an abundance of time but are you truly present, are you truly living in the moment with another individual, are you truly providing that person service and connecting with them. Are you making their day better by giving them a piece of your dedicated time? When you receive quality time, recognize that someone is making the conscious decision to give you their time and invest in you. Never waste someone's time. Time is a sneaky little thing, that can make you believe it is always there, but in reality, it can be few and far between...you just never know how much of it you have. It's easy to be around someone or something, it's easy to have constant contact and time spent, but make sure it is time of substance you are providing and receiving.
Lastly, Love: To be loved, in love, give love, create love: these are all incredible and amazing life moments. Ensure the love you are giving is of value, is of substance, is of worth, and is directed at those that are deserving of your love or those who could use love. Not everyone is going to love you or even like you in life, and trying to make that happen will be a never-ending battle, so ensure that the love that you choose to give and receive is of quality purposes and not in terms of quantity, because you warrant QUALITY type of love. The type of love that is forgiving, the type of love that runs strong and deep, the type of love where solid connections are formed, the type of kind, sweet and unconditional love, the type of love that is passionate, mad, and raw, the type of love that is beautiful and just makes this world a better place… this is the type of love you are deserving of.
So, this idea and debate of Quality vs. Quantity… in the end, it’s Quality OVER Quantity that truly matters.
