Avoid Becoming an Addicted Achiever
- Filed under: Goal Setting
- Date: Oct 24,2009
Chase your dreams, achieve your goals – but sometimes you need to down shift and learn to appreciate, enjoy and be happy with life.
It is fine to have goals. In fact I have many goals categorized and prioritised. (See mind mapping) However, when our life becomes one big rat race of achieving the next objective without stopping to smell the roses you will burn out.
Self Appraisal
Do you ever get the feeling that if you’re not doing something? Like you are letting yourself down? Jumping from one major goal to the next can also be a self-defence mechanism. Especially if you are unhappy with the your current path in life.
Yes, do not be lazy. Push yourself and be all you can be. But when life seems like all you are doing is fulfilling your daily check list you need to ask yourself “Why?”
Your Life Values
You are not a robot. You are not a machine. You have values. Unless your life is congruent with your life values then you will restless, unhappy or perhaps desperately clutching at straws from day to day in the pursuit of happiness.
My values are family, living comfortably, giving to others. You may want to be rich if you are not already. But realise that the end state of becoming rich is to slowly plan and take small steps of action towards that end state.
Life Goals for Life Monies
So if it takes you 50 years of re-investing your earnings and your dividends to reach that $20 million mark then so be it.
Does this mean for that 50 years you will be constantly disappointed with every small accomplishment you make along that journey? Obviously not, as this is detrimental and the only thing you will achieve is becoming old and bitter.
Memories
The most memorable moments in your life will not be the week when your fortune grew from $19.5M to $20M. It will be the fun times shared with friends along the way!
Heading Up in the World
Pat yourself on your back for the small victories you make in life. You deserve it. The future is unknown and is not guaranteed. Whatever end state you tell yourself you must become be aware that it is not yourself now. Do not feel down, just rest easy at night know that today, I achieved small steps of action towards a better life and day after day you have successfully lived life in the pursuit of happiness. 
Enjoying Your Life Journey
- The things you have done in the past do not define you or measure your self-worth
- Take a time out and celebrate your successes before moving onto the next goal
- Accept the past, plan for the future, but live in the now.
