What Are Your Goals In Life?
An introduction to setting, approaching and reaching your goals
We’ve all heard the typical aspects of self-development: goal setting, mindfulness, intentional living and so worth – and these are all great. They are necessary for a more fulfilled life; a healthier, wealthier, and happier life. But there’s one thing that doesn’t get talked about as much while in my opinion it is one of the foundational truths for a man’s well-being. Here is what I mean:
Think about this for a second: when you were a boy, what did you want to do more than anything else? What did you pretend you were? I grew up with 6 brothers and we spent countless hours of fun pretending we were pirates exploring the hidden corners of this world and fighting off other pirates or sharks.
As kids, we don’t realize that an innocent couple of hours spent pretending we’re pirates comes from a deeper craving for adventure, battle, and exploration built in the depths of our souls. As we grow up and “become adults” we are convinced by society that this is okay as a kid, but that this passion needs to die with our childhood. Adults are expected to be clean, not make a fuss and fit into a pre-scribed mold of a job and work our butts off the rest of our lives. Is this what we were really meant to do as humans, though? As men?
Why in times of old were men the ones that went out to explore new lands, to fight battles fencing off invaders, to be the wanderers and conquerors? Why do we now think that life now is about careers, money, projects and meetings?
Here’s what I am trying to get you to feel. I want you to remember what it was like to daydream as a kid, what it was like to explore the world with endless curiosity. Where did that go? We men have wanderlust engrained into us. It’s always been there and it still is. You were not meant to sit at your desk until “retirement” and then start enjoying life. We understood this as kids because we hadn’t been convinced otherwise by societal and cultural norms. It may be what everybody else is doing, but why be like everyone else?
I want you to be free. Free from a career you weren’t meant to do. Free from pressure to “fit in”. You know it in your gut. You know you were meant to do more; be more. If you could jump on a plane and go anywhere right now, where would you go? Now, once you have an answer, ask yourself, why aren’t you pursuing that goal? What’s holding you back? Do you feel stuck? If your travel destination seems impossible right now due to the chains of life holding you back, I have some good news for you:
It’s possible to fulfill that goal.
In order to help you reach your very own goals in life really let us start from scratch. By giving you a basic worksheet on how to reach your goals in a step-by-step manner we are laying the foundation for an overall healthier and happier life.
Here are 5 steps to take towards finding and fulfilling your goals in life:
1 | Write Down Your Goal
There is something very powerful about putting our thoughts on paper. It may sound stupid, but the actual act of putting pen to paper and writing down your travel goal (or however you identify your freedom) gives your brain the cue that this is more than just an idea; this is tangible, this is reality. This is as simple as writing: “my freedom is …”, or “I want to travel to …”.
2 | Write Down The Obstacles
Make a list of things holding you back from achieving this goal.
Is it finances? Is it a job you feel stuck at? Is it a limiting mindset? What things have you been taught to believe about the impossibility of going and doing what you want to do in life? Making a list does two things: it helps you find a starting point for tackling real obstacles, and it also helps you see that some things you thought were holding you back were just silly notions. This list gives you something to conquer. Start hacking away.
3 | Give Yourself Permission
Often the biggest obstacle is our own brain. We aren’t able to tackle any of the other obstacles until we give ourselves permission to consider this goal a possibility. It’s as simple as saying it out loud in the mirror, “(your name), I give you permission to do this.” Or something similar. Get past yourself and allow yourself to be free. You don’t get another shot at this life. This is it.
4 | Set A Timeline
If you’re getting excited about this now, that’s great. The next step is to set a timeline. Make this even more of a reality by putting on paper a time when you will buy that plane ticket, when you will quit your job, when you will get your passport. The more details you can put a date to, the better. This is really happening. If you feel a little scared or anxious, that’s good. You’re not used to this kind of thinking, not to mention living. But this is how the real normal should be. Keep going.
5 | Overwhelming Force
This last step applies to any dream/goal/plan/habit. But this step is how it actually happens instead of staying on paper and never becoming reality.
The military has a technique they use in operations called overwhelming force. This means you apply every ounce of effort to this goal so that there is absolutely no way it cannot happen. Make lists, put your goal on your bathroom mirror, tell everyone you know what you are going to do and when. Make this a reality. Do everything you can so that you cannot fail.
In Closing
Ultimately, everything in life is up to you. I believe every man has the call of the wild in him. Some have repressed it and barely hear it, while others listened to it and went out into the world to be who they were meant to be. If it’s buried deep somewhere inside you there still is hope. Be quiet for a second and listen for it. Let it speak to you. What’s it telling you?
About the author:
Chad Doeden writes for his blog called The Catalyst. He is adventure oriented and dedicated to helping others discover who they are and what they were meant to be. In his free time, Chad is on a personal journey of self-discovery as it relates to human optimization.
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