While retired, I slowly lost sight of the big picture.
Mindlessly pursuing a goal or letting yourself go where externalities take you gradually takes away your values and your soul.
In this sense, a regular program such as school, occupation, religion, guardianship, teaching, goal or fitness program may provide a sense of purpose or reinforcement. Without a program to stick to many people waste away and get wrapped around day to day concerns, jumping from problem to problem. However, it is not as simple as this. We need regular reminders of who we are and what we stand for.
No matter who we are or how successful we are, my life experience tells me that we get lost in our concerns. Concerns are never ending. We may have one concern (e.g. studying to achieve a certain score) that lasts a certain time frame and then move onto another concern (e.g. not feeling good enough after failing at a football trial). These concerns never cease. We must step back from the concern and realise that there will always be concerns. Keeping our mind focused on the essence disintegrates the concerns.
Focus on addressing the root of the concerns rather than being consumed by each individual concern.
Focus on who we are (re: Self Worth, Who I Am). This feeds into other areas of our life. Who we are determines what we want and creates an inner purpose or vision, not a fleeting motivation. Motivation is what is needed when you chase someone else's goal whereas a purpose is one's vision which is significantly more powerful. Vision in turn provides a decision making framework where we are pulled by the vision for day to day actions, not spur of the moment tendencies. Goals cannot be contradictory, this may occur if you have two goals that focus excessive time on a startup while also focusing time on family, you can have everything in balance but not if you put excessive amount of time solely on one focus.
If you don't have a vision, you will get swept up in someone else's vision. Figure out what is your ideal vision for the different areas of life, not like most people who become obsessed in the finance and career aspect of their life.
Mindlessly pursuing a goal or letting yourself go where externalities take you gradually takes away your values and your soul.
In this sense, a regular program such as school, occupation, religion, guardianship, teaching, goal or fitness program may provide a sense of purpose or reinforcement. Without a program to stick to many people waste away and get wrapped around day to day concerns, jumping from problem to problem. However, it is not as simple as this. We need regular reminders of who we are and what we stand for.
No matter who we are or how successful we are, my life experience tells me that we get lost in our concerns. Concerns are never ending. We may have one concern (e.g. studying to achieve a certain score) that lasts a certain time frame and then move onto another concern (e.g. not feeling good enough after failing at a football trial). These concerns never cease. We must step back from the concern and realise that there will always be concerns. Keeping our mind focused on the essence disintegrates the concerns.
Focus on addressing the root of the concerns rather than being consumed by each individual concern.
Focus on who we are (re: Self Worth, Who I Am). This feeds into other areas of our life. Who we are determines what we want and creates an inner purpose or vision, not a fleeting motivation. Motivation is what is needed when you chase someone else's goal whereas a purpose is one's vision which is significantly more powerful. Vision in turn provides a decision making framework where we are pulled by the vision for day to day actions, not spur of the moment tendencies. Goals cannot be contradictory, this may occur if you have two goals that focus excessive time on a startup while also focusing time on family, you can have everything in balance but not if you put excessive amount of time solely on one focus.
If you don't have a vision, you will get swept up in someone else's vision. Figure out what is your ideal vision for the different areas of life, not like most people who become obsessed in the finance and career aspect of their life.
