Goal
Today, I want to talk about the importance of defining goals, virtues, and passions so we can achieve our dreams as individuals.
Why you need to define your life
Throughout my life, I’ve noticed that institutions refuse to establish clear objectives. These institutions never define clear financial goals, who is genuinely in need of help, or what the future entails. Every description and explanation is a layer of confusion that ultimately means nothing.
When we don’t define our goals, we end up putting time and energy in places unworthy of both. Acting in this way leads to burnout, wasted potential, depression, and bitterness; and these negative states of mind are unworthy of individuals of our caliber.
Through a precise definition of what we want, who we want to be, and where we intend to go, we can avoid the pain that comes with uncertainty while we focus our energy on what matters to us as individuals.
Defining Goals
Define your aims to create a clear path to personal greatness.
Firstly, we have to define what we want in the short-term and the long-term. Through careful consideration, we can determine what path we’d wish to walk to the day we die.
Life goals can be anything including telling better stories or raising healthy children. Life purposes should be realistic and primarily individual dependant – solving world hunger or accomplishing world peace both require too much involvement from others and are ultimately impossible to achieve.
Short-term objectives should point back to the long-term intentions. Learning how to write or spending time with one’s children will help in accomplishing our dreams.
Lastly, we must ask the “why.” Why pursue this end and why am I defining it this way? Through proper reflection, we can build the confidence we need to continue our purposes.
Through precise definition of our goals, we can stay the course and have confidence in our path.
Defining Virtues
Virtues allows us to act morally, consistently, and with confidence
Virtues are important behaviors that enable us to live moral lives. By identifying essential virtues, we can create a rulebook for how we deal with a variety of situations and choices.
Society is a selfish construct that is designed to resist and despise honor. As individuals, we must rise above the selfishness, pettiness, and impulsiveness inherit in society. Through virtuous living, we can accomplish our goals without the shame and doubt that plagues most people.
- Courage
- Persistence
- Zeal
- Magnimanity
- Loyalty
- Generosity
- Gratitude
- Frugality
- Fortitude
- Patience
I’ve written posts covering these virtues. Review them and reflect on the definitions I provide.
By living virtuously, we can build a future with a stable moral foundation.
Defining Passions
Always be passionate. Never let your passion falter.
What are you enthusiastic about? It’s a question as old as time that begins with “what do you want to be when you grow up?”
Humans, in our infinite greatness, can be defined by what drives us. Whether we love gaming or writing, what we love to do will guide us in our decisions and choices. It is worthwhile to be excited about things that enable our greatness instead of the things that stifle our potential.
I am passionate about heroes – I love stories where the good guys win, and the bad guys lose. Sure, these stories can be “simplistic,” but they inspire me to be a better person and help others do the same.
I was once passionate about politics, which put me in a world of corruption and subjugation. I gained nothing from politics except how to belittle and use other people.
Our loves will decide how we spend our time, especially our free time. We should always seek to be passionate about the people, things, and ideas that strengthen us to become individuals.
Conclusion
Individuals need to protect themselves from the whims of society. By defining our goals and realizing what we want, we can avoid wasting time engaging with abusive and destructive people.
Actionables
- What are you passionate about? Why are you excited about your chosen topic, idea, or persons?
- What are your life goals and why are they your goals?
- Which virtue speaks the most to you? Why?
Please remember that it’s important to do the actionables. You’re not on this earth to simply read but to do. To become an individual, you must act more than you consume.
*Image credit to Unsplash.
