Everything in life has an aim, a purpose. Every single task that we or any living being for that matter undertakes, has a destination. From time immemorial people have been doing the impossible, because they focussed on the all important WHY. Without the WHY, life would be an aimless, lazy stroll through the seemingly never-ending years and decades.
If you have your WHY figured out, the HOW is merely planning and taking one step at a time.
I now realise why certain aims for me are in limbo. I haven’t a clue as to why exactly it should take priority over everything else. I keep on finding excuses for these goals, like learning classical music. My excuses range from lack of time, lack of a good teacher nearby etc. If I had the WHY sorted out, I'd have made efforts to find a teacher; the teacher won't seek me out, right? कुआँ प्यासे के पास थोड़े ही आएगा, प्यासे को ही कुँए तक जाना पड़ेगा ! :D
Anyway, these are short-term WHYs and can be managed with fixing short-term goals. What's a short-term WHY, you ask? Imagine getting up on a snoozy Sunday, you would hardly be thinking of finishing the daily chores within a short stipulated time. But how things change, when a friend calls with movie plans that involve reaching the theatre in an hour! Electricity practically runs through you as you find short-cuts for chores, finishing each in a record time!
Long-term WHYs, on the other hand, need a catalyst. The very idea that your life or the meaning of your life depends on accomplishing a particular goal is the motivation that spurs you on through life. Some people are lucky enough to find theirs early on; others know what these are, yet have not given the HOW any thought. And yet others have ambiguous ideas about their WHYs and WHEREFOREs.
And then there are the medium-term WHYs. One recent, decently medium-term WHY for me was a borrowed one from a good friend of mine. It was her wish to see the collection of newspaper articles of her father published (a 1200+ pages book). It triggered something in me and I found time post work, on the weekends, basically any spare time that I had and was able to help her proofread a major part of it, click and finalise a cover photo, get the book published and plan the book release function. All this without taking off from work (except for the day of the book release). The experience enriched me beyond my expectations and is one that I would cherish for as long as I live.
Seek out your WHYs, is the only advice I‘d give you. The HOWs can be planned and programmed.
If you have your WHY figured out, the HOW is merely planning and taking one step at a time.
I now realise why certain aims for me are in limbo. I haven’t a clue as to why exactly it should take priority over everything else. I keep on finding excuses for these goals, like learning classical music. My excuses range from lack of time, lack of a good teacher nearby etc. If I had the WHY sorted out, I'd have made efforts to find a teacher; the teacher won't seek me out, right? कुआँ प्यासे के पास थोड़े ही आएगा, प्यासे को ही कुँए तक जाना पड़ेगा ! :D
Anyway, these are short-term WHYs and can be managed with fixing short-term goals. What's a short-term WHY, you ask? Imagine getting up on a snoozy Sunday, you would hardly be thinking of finishing the daily chores within a short stipulated time. But how things change, when a friend calls with movie plans that involve reaching the theatre in an hour! Electricity practically runs through you as you find short-cuts for chores, finishing each in a record time!
Long-term WHYs, on the other hand, need a catalyst. The very idea that your life or the meaning of your life depends on accomplishing a particular goal is the motivation that spurs you on through life. Some people are lucky enough to find theirs early on; others know what these are, yet have not given the HOW any thought. And yet others have ambiguous ideas about their WHYs and WHEREFOREs.
And then there are the medium-term WHYs. One recent, decently medium-term WHY for me was a borrowed one from a good friend of mine. It was her wish to see the collection of newspaper articles of her father published (a 1200+ pages book). It triggered something in me and I found time post work, on the weekends, basically any spare time that I had and was able to help her proofread a major part of it, click and finalise a cover photo, get the book published and plan the book release function. All this without taking off from work (except for the day of the book release). The experience enriched me beyond my expectations and is one that I would cherish for as long as I live.
Seek out your WHYs, is the only advice I‘d give you. The HOWs can be planned and programmed.
