Goal
In this post, we’re going to cover why you should have at least one life goal as well as how to choose the life goals that are perfect for you.
What is a life goal?
A life goal is simply a purpose that we’re always pursuing for the rest of our lives. It’s crucial that this goal is not accomplishable. For example, “earning 60,000 a year” is not a respectable life goal because once we accomplish it, then what? Similar goals include “I will travel to X” or “type 50 words a minute.” These are better for a bucket list, not life goals. Life purposes, by their very nature, need to be lifelong – not temporary or possessing a set date.
A better life aim is a mission that challenges us every day and has no real end. For example, “I will be a good person” is a lifelong commitment that requires constant work until the day we die.
Why chose a life goal?
We can always choose more than one purpose, but the point of selecting a life goal is to ensure all of our actions, behaviors, and even beliefs point in one direction. This focusing keeps us from being distracted by shiny things as well as prevents us from feeling unsure about our present course.
With a life mission, we are confident of our current course and can maintain the zeal and persistence necessary to push on.
A good example of a cliché life goal is “to be like Jesus,” i.e., to be kind, caring, and loving. From there, we can better plan our day to day activities. So, we wouldn’t prepare “kick homeless people” on our list of things to do because this action contradicts our life goal of “being more elike Jesus.”
By having a clear mission, we can better plan our day and reflect on choices that we may make, especially decisions that have to be made on the fly.
How do we choose a life goal?
I have three life goals:
- Be the best father
- Be the best husband
- Create better stories
I draw for one hour and write 3000 words a day, so I can pursue my goal of telling better stories.
As we can see, each of these goals cannot be “finished,” i.e., I’ll always have to keep improving to become the best father, even on my death bed.
Each goal requires adherence to the ten key virtues, and I cannot accomplish any of my goals without having an intense focus on morality.
Additionally, I chose my goals by reflecting on what benefits the people around me. By being the best father, for example, I help my children as well as my wife. By raising healthy children, I serve society and leave behind an impressive legacy.
Lastly, each goal helps me to become an individual. Through each goal, I take care of my community, defend what I value, discard toxic ideas, and empower myself to be a better person who excels at the ten virtues.
Conclusion
By becoming the best husband, I improve my empathy, strength, individualism, and more.
Creating life goals is an ongoing process that requires much time reflecting, praying, and meditating. Everyone should strive to have one life goal but never more than five.
All our life goals should point us toward the ten principal virtues. Additionally, our goals should help us become individuals by allowing us to be generous to our communities, reject toxic ideas, empower us to accomplish other purposes, and enable us to defend that which we value.
Actionables
- Do you have life goals? If you do, reflect on how you decided that they were worthwhile objectives.
- If you do have life purposes, are you taking the time each day to do the actions necessary to achieve those goals?
- If you don’t have life goals, why not? Additionally, write a list of a few things you love to do and the people you care about deeply. How can you tie these people and activities to the creation of life goals?
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
