| Goal!
So...you've dragged yourself back to the office, gritted your teeth and paid off the credit cards, and started the annual diet. But you're still asking yourself if this is really as good as it gets. The first weeks of a new year – like the first weeks back from holiday – are often a time when we find ourselves reflecting on whether we're really living the life we want. Or just the life we've settled for. The trouble is that even when we know something's wrong, we don't
always know what we want in its place. |
 |
For every person-with-a-passion-and-a-plan, there are many more who've lost sight of their goals: forgotten they ever had dreams or stopped believing they could make th em come true.
This year, before you dismiss any feelings of dissatisfaction, why not award yourself a quiet half hour to ponder on your goals for YOUR life. The questions below should help you tease out your passion or purpose – the things in life that motivate you and make life worth living.
What did you dream of being or doing when you were a child?
Now ask yourself why? What was it about those dreams that appealed to you?
Imagine you receive a letter saying you are going to receive an award for something.
What would the award be for? What would the person presenting it say about you?
Now imagine your lottery numbers have come up and you've won £5 million.
Describe your life. Write a list of all the things you'd do if money were no object?
Now look at the list again and ask yourself honestly whether everything on the list is really about money, for instance spending more time with family and friends.
Ask yourself who are the three people you most admire (they can be famous faces or live next door to you!)
What is it about them that appeals to you? Is there something in th em , or in their lives, that you'd like for you?
Imagine Douglas Adams was right and the Earth will be demolished in five years to make way for a hyper-space by-pass. With only five years left to live, what would you change? What would you put your energies into?
And finally, if you knew you couldn't fail; whatever you decided to tackle, success was guaranteed, what might you do?
Remember, most of those who've achieved their dreams did so with that mindset – even when they did ‘fail' they dusted themselves off and started again.
