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

1. The things you have done in the past do not define you or measure your self-worth
2. Take a time out and celebrate your successes before moving onto the next goal
3. Accept the past, plan for the future, but live in the now.

Why Bother?

Napolean Hill states there are two ways to live your life. One is out of sync with your inner desires resulting in a life of penalties. The other way to live life is in sync with your desires - a life of riches.

Now I know I want what is in the riches column. Napolean Hill states that all you have to do to achieve riches is to consistently apply the following three steps:

1. Write down a clear description of your major desire in life. The one circumstance or position or thing that you will willing to accept as your idea of success. And, remember before you begin writing that your only limitations are those that you set up in your own mind or permit others to set up for you.

2. Write down a clear statement of precisely what you intend to give in return for that which you desire from life and then start in right where you stand now to begin giving.

3. Memorise both of your statements. What you desire and what you intend to give in return for it. And repeat them at least a dozen times daily. And always end your statements with this expression of gratitude for the blessings of what with which you were gifted at birth:
   

"Oh divine providence, I ask not for more riches but more wisdom with which to make wiser use of the riches you gave me at birth consisting of the power to control and direct my own mind to whatever ends I desire." -Napolean Hill

By completing the above steps in a spirit of humble sincerity a better world will present itself to you. A world in which you will see reflected the circumstances and the things which you yourself have created.

How Have I Been Going With It?

Goal setting is an activity I, and I am sure, you have been doing for quite some time. Progress is not made by wandering around in life, directionless and confused at what to do next. Clear objectives must be set and followed through with focused and direct action. The third step is commitment. Maintaining motivation to complete actions over an extended time frame. Take up a hobby half-heartedly and in six months it is unlikely you will still be continuing the hobby. Results will be below par with your expectations and when enthusiasm is depleted the hobby is set aside with the thought of "I'll get back to that later."

When I was 24 I set out to buy my first investment property. I searched through multiple listings, called real estate agents for further info, inspected properties, learnt property jargon, dealt with lawyers, established finance and bought my property. I had limited help and certainly no financial aide from family. Whilst living in this property I would come home from work each day, get changed into old clothing and rendered, painted, skirted every wall in this two-storey townhouse.

I had a clear set goal and it took six months to have the property good to go for a tenant to move in. This property still sits there bringing in an income stream. Many times I would have liked to just forget about renovating, have a beer and watch the television but in order to meet my goal and lease out the property by a certain time I had to work. Day in day out I worked towards my goal - to have an investment property, to fulfil my life desire - to retire through passive income, and now something to show for my work. Consistent action over time.

How Are You Going?

Please, let us know an instance where you had a desire and achieved it through consistent action over time in the forum below. Thank you.

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