5 Bold Ways To Reach Your Goals (AND
Love Your Life)
One of my clients, who just recently
retired, is trying to find a new life direction.
Now a multimillionaire, from the
sale of her company, she's now bored and feeling emotionally paralyzed
regarding her perspective future.
After crossing her own
"financial finish line," as millions of us aspire to -- instead of
booking a five star spa vacation -- she hit a dead end. Her expected magical
sense of fulfillment and completion from achieving her goal was missing,
leaving her feeling deflated and lost.
Is it possible that the process of
getting there was more fun than any final result?
The many small compromises made
along her route to success ended up costing her a true sense of self. Like many
others, she bought into the misguided illusion of "I'll be happy when ...
" and then felt hollow once she arrived at "when."
But, what if there's a way we can
keep our authentic self, still kick ass in business, and genuinely feel happy
along the way. Seem impossible? It's not.
Here are 5 ways to obtain that
healthy hybrid of reaching for your future while also living in the now:
1. Transform goals
into transitions, not destinations.
According to a Stanford study,
raising children is highly stressful, providing "meaningfulness" to
our lives, but not always "happiness." Likewise, retirees and
"empty nesters" find themselves feeling lost or in despair once
they're alone without a specific goal, purpose, or direction. However, relief
comes when we let go of any notion of one ultimate finish line and allow
ourselves to enjoy the never ending leap from one life chapter to the next.
2. Let every moment
truly count.
Einstein theorized a
"continuum" of time because, as far as we know, there are no missing
points in space or instants in time. This translates to each moment being as
relevant (and potentially whole) in and of itself as any other. Highly
successful people use this awareness to enjoy all of their moments (big and
small) and squeeze sweeter "feel good juice" out of every experience
and interaction.
3. Celebrate every
step.
Change happens (endlessly)! Learning
to appreciate every baby step and stage of development, while acknowledging the
relevant growth in each step, is crucial to attaining wisdom and enjoying life.
Savoring (and welcoming) ongoing change helps you feel stable as inevitable,
unexpected turns in life occur. Flexibility supports longevity in any
relationship or venture.
4. Choose
"authentic" over "busy."
Keeping an overbooked schedule is
not necessarily more meaningful or important, nor is it a benchmark of actual
success. Conscious living is more about being an active contributor in
everything you do, whether you're a mom, CEO, or non-profit volunteer, using
your capacities to, both, receive from life and share your own time, skills and
knowledge. Staying "busy" keeps your wheels spinning, but powerful,
positive presence helps you actually go somewhere.
5. Discover and
express the REAL you.
Through many stages of life our
identity, style and nature change to adapt to stress. It is, however, when we
alter our voice (and true sense of self) compromising ourselves for the sake of
conforming, that we get into trouble. Although, seemingly an honorable self
sacrifice to keep peace for the family or ones work place, it leads to
resentment, regret, and even illness. And after awhile, you lose your authentic
self, which only you can reclaim.
Most of us feel "lost,"
from time to time, in the tunnel vision of daily details or hyper-focus on a
specific goal or outcome. Learning to celebrate and balance your work, home,
health and family while cultivating daily fun time supports easier transitions
into later post-goal chapters of life.
Let yourself start leaping
fearlessly forward into what feels good in each moment, without knowing what
the future holds ... THIS is what our whole earth race is all about!
There is a thrill in nothing ending,
or any one point in time being "everything." I love knowing no matter
what I achieve, there are always new possibilities to eagerly anticipate in the
endless game ahead.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yourtango/eaching-your-goals_b_7555340.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003&ir=India&adsSiteOverride=in
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