Towards a Better Version of You
Some of the biggest companies in the world are audit firms. Their job is simple, they assess organization’s financial information and determine whether the information is exact and complete. Audit firms are expected to provide accurate representation of a company’s financial standing and evaluate their departments with the aim to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
If organizations need to be audited, how much more individuals like you and I.
My question is; When last did you audit yourself? When last did you spend time to reflect on your life? Just like an auditor periodically audits organizations, we all need to regularly reflect and evaluate different areas of our lives in order to become better versions of ourselves.
The Christian Bible tells a story of a young man who requested his share of his father’s wealth – while the father was still alive. He was obliged, the young man then squandered all his inheritance. He became so poor that at a time, he couldn’t even afford a meal – you can imagine how bad his case had become. After sometime, “he finally came to his senses, and said to HIMSELF…” Luke 15:17. That moment of self-reflection (Self Audit) was the turning point of his life.
From that story, we see that the defining moment in the young man’s life was when he evaluated his current reality, took inventory of his life and realized his mistakes.
Friend, we all need to have such self-examination periodically so that we can position or re-position ourselves for a Value Adding Life.
There are four key areas I believe we should audit in our lives on a regular basis:
- You Must Audit Your Relationship with God
Remember, we were all created by God. No individual “Just Emerged”. We must regularly examine our relationship with God to make our lives more meaningful. This is a critical aspect of your life regardless of your religion or belief.
- You Must Audit Your Time
Time is your most important resource. Once spent, its gone forever. You can’t buy or borrow more time. We all need to regularly audit our use of time. You know, it’s the only resource we have equally; whether rich or poor, hardworking or lazy, we all have 24hours. Your life is measured by time. So, ask yourself every day; “Am I Spending my Time or Investing it.”
- Audit Your Relationships
Jim Rohn said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” That means if you hang around 5 intelligent people or millionaires, you’ll be the 6th. What if you hang around 5 broke people? The point is this; you are a reflection of the people you associate with. It’s important to examine your relationships; whether it’s with your spouse, family and friends or with your boss, colleagues and even business partners. Ask yourself how beneficial these relationships are? Do you have to cut off from some? Do you need to make some changes in order to derive more benefits from some others? You need to answer these questions regularly.
- Audit Your Finances
Our finances and how it is managed ultimately affect the way we live. Without a doubt, a healthy financial life thrives on deliberate and well informed decisions. I encourage you to take a look at your finances regularly. Are you spending beyond what you earn? Do have multiple streams of income? Do you have savings or investments for the future? Auditing your finances regularly and taking the right steps will greatly impact on your life.
Remember, you have Only One Life to Live, MAKE IT COUNT!
