As humans, aren't we amazing? We are comprised of chemicals which seek their lowest energy level at all times. We are, by chemical definition, lazy. But, we have an amazing addition that makes all the difference - spirit. Without thought and understanding, we would be rocks, and nobody wants that! So let's take a look at making the best of those things that drive us, and see if we can't reach a new un-rock-like potential.
Of course, you have to actually want to get somewhere first... so we'll assume you do, or you wouldn't be reading this right now. But setting goals and striving to meet them doesn't work for everyone. Many of us get frustrated by factors we can't control when we fail to reach our goals, then feelings of disappointment and defeat creep in.
There has to be a better way, right? Of course there is.
Some goals are helpful, such as making a "to do" list at night and checking off each completed task the next day. This way you're organizing your tasks and rewarding yourself a little at a time along the way to a productive day.
However, life goals and aspirations are a little more complicated than something you can complete in a day's time. Too many people focus obsessively on external benchmarks to the point that those become the meaning of their lives.
Example: You may feel you have a gift for healing, so you set a goal to become a doctor. Perhaps you lack the finances or academic accomplishments to go to medical school though, so you feel like a failure and forget your dreams altogether. This is like a horse with blinders stopping at a puddle. Think of all the other kinds of healing your rigid goal cut you off from: social work, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, or even spiritual guidance. In this scenario, a narrow ambition kept you from getting what you really wanted.
What's worse, is that concentrating too much on life goals can cut you off from the experience of life. When winning is all that counts, the hours, days, and even years you spend heading toward that goal are overlooked, or at the very least under-appreciated. When you focus solely on your goal, you spend your time thinking about the future outcome, so you prevent yourself from experiencing the present. People who achieve real success are those who forget about what they're trying to achieve and concentrate instead on what they're actually doing.
... Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn more!
No comments:
Post a Comment