“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” ~e. e. cummings

People love to have things. Let’s face it, so do we. Things are useful, comforting, and pleasing. The problem is that this love affair with things commonly gets overdone. Even though it is common, a passion to own stuff is looked down upon by many, even those who are knee deep in it themselves. As a result, it is a popular view to condemn worldly people as rampantly materialistic.

Ouch, that was harsh. Isn’t that judgmental, insulting even? While it could be, this time it’s not.

What word didn’t you like? Worldly? Materialistic? Both of those words could be heard as negative or offensive. Perhaps just one of them is but for one person the problem is this word and for another person it is that word.

So let’s deconstruct this statement (and by the way, it’s all for a purpose). Let’s define a worldly person as someone who closely identifies with the world, specifically the physical world. The physical world includes those things we can touch and those things that have an impact on physical existence.

Materialism is the theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena.

So really, someone who primarily identifies with the physical could be no other way. In fact, it would be unrealistic, unfair even to expect them to do otherwise. How does being this way happen to people?

The common view is to believe that if I finally have some stuff (a sweet ride, stylish clothes), I will get to do certain things (arrive in style, hang with the beautiful people) which will allow me to be what I really want to be (cool, accepted, loved). This is a worldly view, based in materialism.

The materialistic view causes people to get “have”, “do”, and “be” backwards. You don’t have stuff, which allows you to do stuff, which results in you being something. First you have to be something. From this the doing unfolds. Having things results.

So in our example, if you will be lovable, acceptable and cool, opportunities to do things with interesting people will abound. When you do interesting things, the physical starts to show up. This is the formula for manifestation that recognizes that the material realm is not all there is.

It is important to note that this does not denigrate the physical realm, making the world bad or material goods somehow tainted. They are the natural, healthy, virtuous result of good intent. That good intent starts with who you are being, not what you have.

Right about now you might be thinking, “This sounds good but I know lots of people who have a lot who are being, well, jerks. Are you saying that I should be what they are being to get what they are getting?”

If you want what they are getting, yes, be what they are being. Of course, you can’t cherrypick what they are getting. What are they getting along with the material goods? Enemies? Worries? Sleepless nights? Competition? Fear? Do they wake up every day realizing they have to do it all over again or it all comes apart? It’s a package deal. So consider carefully who you choose to model.

Focusing your attention on being does not mean that you won’t have to do anything or that you don’t get to have anything. It just means you will see the opportunities for action and the goodies as results rather than causes. It allows you to avoid the sorrowful consequences that often accompany worldly success at the cost of being who you truly wish to be. So begin with being and the doing and the having will take care of themselves.

“Here’s the sustainable way to have everything you intend.” click to tweet

Where have you been getting Be/Do/Have right in your life? Tell us about it by commenting below.

Photo credit: Surrey Dave