Loneliness Is Everything It's Cracked Up to Be

This week I was made aware of a Harvard study that concluded that 93% of "successful" people die lonely. I won't delve into their definition of success today, more on that subject in a future post.

But this week I heard a story from Darren Hardy, author of "The Compound Effect" and "The Entrepreneur Rollercoaster" (both great reads by the way) about a very successful businessman who had booked time with Darren to have a strategy session to discuss things like marketing, new product launches and business expansion, etc, when suddenly his face and tone all changed. His voice began to get quiet, as he admitted to Darren, "I can't name 3 people who would drop everything, just to be there for me."

He knew lots of people who might reach out to him for a contact or his resources, but not to simply be with him.

Here's a guy who has been on magazine covers, built hugely successful businesses and is surrounded by awards and accolades, yet, in the quiet moments, his greatest concern, is that he has no friends; at least not the kind that simply want to be his friend for who he is, not for what he can give them.

What a sad reality for this guy; I don't know him, but I feel bad for him.

But it serves as a reminder for you and me. Well one, I don't want to die lonely but two, that I want to be the kind of friend who drops everything for his friends (not to mention my family)

Let's not be so busy that we can't respond when a friend really needs us. Let's be willing to stop, long enough to even ask someone how they are really doing...and wait for the answer instead of filling the dead air with small talk.

One of my favourite psychiatrists William Glasser (who never prescribed a medication in his over 50-year career) argued that virtually everyone in his office came because a current relationship wasn't working well or they had no meaningful relationships at all.

I believe people are becoming increasingly isolated and it is going to take us being very intentional to change course.

Perhaps it's time to pause and think about the relationships in our lives, or the lack of them. And let's be clear...what you see online doesn't really count. In fact I would say, the more digitally connected we are, the less emotionally connected we will be.

Is there someone in your life who might need you right now? Are you the kind of person who would drop everything for someone else? I want to be that person, and I hope you do too.

Because loneliness is everything it's cracked up to be.

Until next time - Dan