What do you really want from your life?
You only have one life; that’s one lifeTIME. Don’t waste it. Start by getting out a pen, a few sheets of paper, and writing down the answers to the following five questions:
• What do you regret that you’ve not yet done in your life?
• What do you want from your life?
• If you had more spare time, what would you do with it?
• Of all the things you do, which gives you the most pleasure? (That’s pleasure, not satisfaction, results
or success.)
• At the beginning of this year (or at the end of your last good holiday), what hopes did you have for the immediate future?
Take as much time as you need to really think about your answers, and write them down in detail.
Look back over your answers. You’ll find nearly all of them are achievable, or at least achievable with only minor changes in your lifestyle.
Now your thoughts are concentrated on achieving goals, it’s time to set objectives. You’ll need a pen and paper.
These are the important questions; the answers will be the basis on which you learn to manage your time more effectively from now on.
1.What are your lifetime goals?
In a general way, quickly jot down your goals under the following headings: Personal, Family, Career, Community, Spiritual, Social and Financial.
Write them down even if they seem like fantasies; for example, taking a year off to go sketching in the Italian countryside. Generalities like “happiness”, “love” and “success” are alright, too. You can fine-tune them later.
Now go back over the list and make any adjustments you believe are necessary before beginning the next stage, which will help you further pinpoint your goals.
2.How would you like to spend the next five years?
List your answers under these headings:
WORK
- ambition/status
- type of work
- type of organisation
PEOPLE
- family
- friends
- neighbours
- helping others
MIND
- gaining knowledge
- expanding your mind
- spiritual development
BODY
- health
- fitness -sport
POLITICS, MATERIAL GAINS
- house (size, style, location)
-car
- other things
TRAVEL
- overseas -weekend
- day trips
- holidays
YOU
- time for yourself
- relaxation
- creativity (hobbies, arts)
- health
- attitude
- enjoying nature
- learning new skills
The next question will give you a different perspective. Now, don’t become bogged down thinking about it; start writing.
3.If you knew you were going to die in six months, how would you live until then?
Go back over your three lists and, with a coloured pen, mark each item according to how important it is to you. Then try to distinguish between importance and urgency. Look at your list of things to do and cross off anything you are not prepared to spend five minutes on in the next seven days. That means you’re either too busy, it’s too hard, you need help, or you simply don’t feel like it. Cross it off.
For the most important of your goals on each of the three lists, write A1.
For the second most important, mark A2 and then A3. You will now have a total of nine goals marked with A’s on your three lists.
Take another piece of paper and then write them down in order under the heading: “My three most important long-term goals.”
You have in front of you a statement of exactly what you want to do in life - as you see it now.
It can - and should -be reviewed regularly. But now, it’s time to get practical and be realistic.
Each day you can work on your lifetime goals. Choose at least one and decide how many minutes you’ll devote to it.
If the A goal seems overwhelming, divide it then start working on the easiest part.
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