I found this article when trying to find some articles through web. But It's interesting as well as most of you guys might useful I think.
Do you know what you want to be? To truly live is to
follow your heart, to realize that you can achieve your dream and be
who you were meant to be. Whether you are just starting this journey of
life as a youth fresh out of grade school, or a middle age person, it
is time to live your life.
During your life you have made a mistake or two, and you have to
live with them. However you can overcome your past and create your
dream future. To do that you need to know what your dream is. Did you
truly want to grow up to be the night clerk at the motel, or the
weekend cashier at the convenience store? If so congratulations, you do
not need to read this article. If not, then you need to remember what
it was that you wanted to be. Write it down and realize that it is not
too late to start.
You have your dream, and you want to live it.
Well, to get there you need to take a few steps along the way. Nobody
ever (and I do mean nobody) accomplishes their dream life by wishing.
You have to work at it a little bit at a time. You have to make
progress a step at a time. You simply cannot wish to be able to be the
next Mister or Miss Universe and expect them to mail you your prize
from the comfort of your couch; you have to get off your gluteus
maximus and go work out.
So you know your dream, but how do you
get there? First you must resolve a path. Then decide what steps to
take to get there. To determine what those steps are you have to set
goals. Sometimes you even have to put deadlines on those goals. Goals
are simply stepping-stones. You set a goal to achieve something then
set tasks to achieve that goal.
Whenever you are setting a goal
or two, you sometime find that your path has been blocked. Always
research several alternative ways to reach your goal. You should do
this just in case the most obvious path comes out short of the end. Let
us say that the university you wanted to attend won't accept you so you
are crushed and your dream of becoming a nuclear scientist begins to
fade. So who says you had to go there? Maybe you can go to an alternate
university, and the end will be the same. When you are a nuclear
scientist, do they quote you and say you're a Harvard nuclear scientist
or a University of Florida nuclear scientist? No-they simply say you
are a nuclear scientist.
Be prepared to change and adapt. Have a
few plans ready to go. Even a loose idea of a plan is better than
nothing. If plan "A" does not work have a plan "B" ready to take its
place. This avoids that trapped feeling you get when you realize that
the goal that you were after has been taken out of your reach. This is
similar to the way people plan a road trip. You look at the map and see
the different possibilities to get from point A to point B. Say there
is a blizzard or construction, or it is simply blocked; you merely back
track a bit and resume your journey from another direction. Sometimes
plan B is more enjoyable and more appropriate for the journey than your
first choice.
Systematically re-check and as needed redefine your
goals. It's not worth the wasted time to struggle to meet a goal that
no longer fits with your life. During obvious stopping spots along the
way, take a day to sit back check yourself about how you are reacting
to reaching this milestone. Are you happy, or relieved? Are you
excited, and want more? Conversely are you scared, with slight
overtones of dread or entrapment?
As you grow into your new self
some nervousness is to be expected. As you reach out in a totally new
direction in your life, it is only fair to expect that not all feelings
you have will be super positive. There is some mourning to go through
for the loss of your old life, and growing pains in your new life. Take
time to
just have fun, to balance your priorities. To love, laugh, cry,
and otherwise allow yourself to be a normal person. However, take an
occasional planned time out to make sure that you aren't ignoring
obvious Warnings.
If your subconscious is screaming, "Run away!
Run away!" then pay attention. These warnings usually happen for good
reasons. For example, wedding jitters are perfectly normal. While
ignoring abusive behavior, which doesn't seem to be declining (despite
promises to the contrary), is not normal. If there are warnings take
heed, and go to plan B, or if need be, change your goal. Make sure that
the goal is your goal, and not what someone else says is your goal.
As
you accomplish a goal and see yourself a little bit closer to your
dream, re-asses. Is the next step logical or was it made without enough
information. Do you really need to accomplish that next goal or is
there a different goal to set and achieve? Change as needed. Do you
really need to take underwater basket weaving 101 to become a nuclear
scientist? Do you really need to watch TV for four hours every night?
Look at yourself and see what you are doing. Can you do better?
Every
time you set a goal write it down. Keep it in a journal, or a notebook.
Review your writing daily to keep your mind fresh. In addition, it is
very effective to write a start date when you set a goal, and a
completion date when you accomplish the goal. It is a very satisfying
feeling to look through your notebook and see that you are indeed
completing goals, and moving towards your dream. So let us quickly move
through the process so you can see how the process works. Let us say
your dream is to be the president's limousine driver. You must now work
from there backwards to where you are now.
To drive the president
you must be trained to drive the executive limousine, an excellent
driver, and a member of the secret service. To be in the secret service
requires an impeccable reputation and a willingness to serve. There are
three major goals in the dream. The first is to be an excellent driver.
The second is to be a member of the secret service, and the third is to
be trained to drive the executive limousine. (You know that tank that
looks like a car)
So let us start with the first major goal.
Become an excellent driver. We will have to break it down into a couple
of regular goals. To be an excellent driver you must first be a
licensed driver. To become a licensed driver now becomes a regular
goal. The steps from there to here are: to become a licensed driver you
must pass a drivers test. To be able to take the drivers test you must
pass a written test; to pass the written test you must study; to study
you must first have a book; to get the book you must know where to get
it.
The next step is we now write down the tasks to accomplish
the goal. Write them down in the reverse order you thought of them, and
add a start date.
· August 8th
· Find out where the drivers books are
· Get a copy of the book
· Study the book
· Go to Department of Motor Vehicles and take written test
· Pass written test
· Take practical driving test
· Pass test, get drivers license
Each task is a miniature
goal in itself. Once you have completed a task move on to the next. If
you find out there is another step, you must take add it in to the
list. For example, we found out after taking the written test that you
have to have a bit of experience to pass the practical test, so you add
the task "Practice driving."
As each step is taken you write down
the completion date. As you review your journal you see that you are
making progress towards your first goal. When you have accomplished
your first goal (to become a licensed driver), you re-asses and make
sure you are on the right path. Then, set your next goal, keeping it in
line with your dream.
There you go, you now have an idea of what
to do. I cannot make you do it; you have to do it yourself. Do you want
a good life where people will respect you, or is the couch just too
comfortable? It's your life-go and live it.
Be Blessed.