Thriving is Perfecting the Journey
There is so much emphasis on setting goals. I love goals and have had hundreds in my lifetime. I don’t even remember how many I achieved. Organizations want us to set goals and measure us by whether we reach them. When we were kids, we had goals of what we wanted to do when we were adults. I didn’t become a policeman, fireman or Indian chief, but that’s the way it is with most goals.
Goals are looking at a distant mountain and deciding we are going to climb to the top. The achiever then sets strategies with some milestones that show we have made progress and tactics which dictate the short-term work to fulfill the strategies. Most people lose interest long before they hit many milestones. They hit obstacles and decide it’s not the path for them.
Two or Three Things Are Important
Two or three things determine whether we will have success reaching our goal. This is something organizations pay little attention to. They expect us to hit the goal because they are paying us and it might be part of the job description. We continue to get paid if we make progress and might get fired if we miss the target. We might get fired even if we hit the target if the organization’s business is failing around us. So many are finding that out these days.
The two or three things are our passion for the work, the meaningfulness to our life, and the feeling we are fulfilling our purpose by engaging. These three items are the fuel that gets us past the obstacles we face in achieving goals. Without passion, it is difficult to fight the resistance.
So why don’t we reverse the process? What are we passionate about, what are we good at doing, what can we do that makes us feel purposeful, and what activities makes us feel they are why we are here? If you name anyone that is wildly successful these days, these considerations are at the base of their daily activities. These considerations are the fuel that help them surpass all others.
Take Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, Lebron James, and Tom Brady and say you don’t see the passion they express in the work they are doing. They have goals. They want to be the best they can be. The summits are the feedback they have perfected their journey.
Starting at the Bottom
Quarterbacks begin with coaches that teach them the right throwing motions. It is a long way from here to winning the Super Bowl. How many can make it? The question is how many want to make it? Not all of them. It is the love for doing what is necessary every day that will determine how far they can go. Caleb Williams, the USC quarterback started when he was 12 years old working on being a quarterback every day. He wants to be drafted number one into the NFL as a first goal.
Bill Gates started with writing one line of code on a card and pushing it into a computer to program it; a long way from founding Microsoft. It took daily passion of engaging to bridge that very big gap. What you are passionate about doing today will determine how far you go.
I can dream about buying a very big house, but buying a lottery ticket is the only passion I exhibit. One person said buying lottery tickets was his retirement plan. Pretty funny actually. But that is often the truth about having a dream and acting on it.
It might be better to decide what would really excite us today. What is the activity I really love? I love to write. I started with blogs. Then I wanted to expand it so I began writing books. 24 books later I am still writing books because it is what turns me on most. I do it for me. I love that other people buy them and hopefully benefit from my self-expression.
What Do You Want to Do?
What is it you want to express? Do you need to learn more? Do you need more free time? Do you need someone’s support? Do you need money to do it? Are you ready to start now? A friend wanted to climb to Everest base camp at 17,500 feet. He was not fit and he was 70 years old. Several people said they would go with him, but when they read the itinerary of hiking up to 8 hours a day all above 12,000 feet, they decided it wasn’t for them. That is what happens with most dreams. He worked on it every day for a year and he made it. I was so proud of him.
What could you throw your whole body, mind and spirit into doing today? This is the life you want. I have many things I live for. I obviously love to write. I love to bike ride. I love to eat healthy and get fit. I love to coach. I don’t need to get myself up psychologically to attack any of these activities. They are who I am. I can’t wait. I do them continuously.
Now let’s ask where they will get me? Thing is, that is not my primary concern. Like many artists and others engaged in what they love, they just want the opportunity to engage and will do what is necessary for that opportunity. Why are so many aspiring actors waiting on tables?
I can ask if my life is a success because of what I have achieved or because of what I get to do? That is the dividing line for many. They are disappointed they can’t reach their goals and they are not having fun getting there. These days businesses have so many silent quitters and those just seeking new opportunities every three years. What kind of aspirations do people have and what is determining what they do every day?
I do what is most meaningful. I meditate in the mornings. I have my health shake. I write. I exercise. I work on my coaching businesses. I have many relaxation breaks. I read. I learn. At the end of each day, I like to say, that was a good day.
Engage your passions and let them take you as far as they will. You have the rest of your life to keep self-actualizing and each year you will be more than you are today and more expert in the things you love. You will be happy, more generous, more empathetic, kinder, and wishing other people good fortune. You will most likely be contributing to other people’s wellbeing.
Read More
Emotions Are A Weapon Not A Hindrance
You Are in Charge of How Others See You
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Podcasts: Would you like to listen to all these posts on podcast. Tune into my channel for listening on the go. Everything About Podcasts
As a Thriving Worker Consultant, I can engage in conversations with employers on how to begin the process of helping workers thrive and reach peak performance. It begins with a conversation to see how far an organization is willing to go to change the culture for workers.
Great practices for daily living can be learned with the Markap Series of Books. If your organization would like live presentations or Zoom meetings, they can be arranged for small to large groups.
