{"id":3575,"date":"2014-03-29T14:18:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-29T22:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lmlrn.com\/?p=3575"},"modified":"2021-02-25T06:55:04","modified_gmt":"2021-02-25T06:55:04","slug":"choosing-a-life-direction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drprem.com\/life\/choosing-a-life-direction","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Choosing a Life Direction Only Half The Battle?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jamal Albayaa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Choosing a life direction<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How does one set a good goal<\/strong> to achieve all the things that they want from life? It\u2019s a flustering question and the first thing on everyone\u2019s mind is \u201cI simply don\u2019t know where to start.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n

Whether you want to sleep better, get fit, make more money, or learn a language<\/strong>, you have to realize that you may never get there unless you know exactly where there<\/b> is. I\u2019ve seen so many friends of mine talk about their goals in life. \u201cI want to get rich,\u201d<\/strong> or \u201cI want to win the lottery!\u201d<\/strong> but no matter how much they say it, they never actually get anywhere with it. They never achieve their goals because they\u2019re not sure what their goals even are. One week they want to get rich, the next week they want to learn jazz trombone, and the week after that they want nothing more than to be able to relax and enjoy the sun. Rather than doing all of them in harmony, they clash and contradict each other and the person spends all their time frantically trying to choose between the 3\u2026 and deciding on nothing, in the end.<\/p>\n

Why is that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot of reasons; maybe they lose confidence<\/strong> in their original choice, or they lose interest. Maybe they\u2019ve given up because they feel like it\u2019s impossible.\u00a0 One thing is for certain, if your goals aren\u2019t SMART<\/strong> goals, then there\u2019ll never be a first step, and they may never get done. what is a SMART goal though? It\u2019s;<\/p>\n

S<\/b>pecific, M<\/b>eaningful, A<\/b>chievable, R<\/b>elevant, and T<\/b>ime- Bound.<\/p>\n

You know the reoccurring problem I hear from people again and again, SMART<\/strong> goals or not? Is that they\u2019re just too busy.<\/i><\/p>\n

In other words \u2013 distracted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And I don\u2019t blame them. There\u2019s so many things to think about and deal with in life today that it\u2019s hard to focus on just any one thing. Life seems to be messes of distractions and disturbances that are all trying to drive us away from what we really want. Determined, in fact. (The thing you have to remember is that you\u2019re more determined than they are.) Friends, family, your job, they all could be called culprits here, but they\u2019re not the bad guys. They\u2019re not to be ignored, but they\u2019re the excuses people go to when failure happens.<\/p>\n

Worst of all is the internet. You know that in the year 2000 (before the social media buzz) the average attention span was 20 minutes? That seems like light years now, because in 2009 it was recorded to be 9 seconds<\/a><\/b> on average. Less than that of the average goldfish. <\/i>You know what you should do if this is your problem? Go outside. Turn off your cellphone for ten minutes, leave those pesky business emails alone, and just relax. Have yourself some \u201cme time.\u201d See how much you enjoy it. After weeks of getting caught up in always having to do something, anything, without ever really getting anywhere, your mind will thank you. Relax. Breathe. Slow down. Focus.<\/p>

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n

When you\u2019re setting a goal, you have to make sure it\u2019s what you really want. I can\u2019t stress this enough. Make sure your goal is what you REALLY want. If it\u2019s not as important to you as breathing, some would argue it\u2019s not even worth doing.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re going to set any goals, the motivation and will to complete them has to come from within. You have to be waking up every day with it on your mind, and the reasons for having the goal have to really make sense to you. In your mind, this goal will make you happier both while achieving it and once you do achieve it. In this case, the journey is as important as the destination. Once you find something like that, pick it, stick with it, and achieve it. Let\u2019s use the gym as your goal: To stay focused\u2026<\/p>\n

\n

<\/ins>\/\/<\/p>\n

\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s specific. \u201cGet ripped\u201d<\/strong> is a weak goal. \u201cLose 10 pounds\u201d is a strong one. How are you supposed to get there if you don\u2019t know where there<\/b> really is?<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s meaningful. It has to be important to you and it has to have significant value in some way. You have to be inspired by it naturally, and you probably want to feel accomplished once it\u2019s completed.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s achievable, if it\u2019s a goal you don\u2019t see yourself ever really getting, you\u2019ll never give it your all. Remember \u2013 an impossible goal is just a whole bunch of possible ones done in succession. You can do it. For example, instead of going to the gym every day, or even 4 times a week, just promise yourself you\u2019ll go 13 times a month, that way you won\u2019t punish yourself for going 3 times in a week instead of 4.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s relevant. Learning jazz trombone is a great idea. Especially if you\u2019re already musically inclined. If you\u2019re NOT musically inclined, jazz trombone is a great <\/i>way to practice that. However if you just saw a jazz trombone player on the street one day and decided to try it, you\u2019ll more often than not fizz out in a couple weeks.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make sure it\u2019s time-bound! This will make it more interesting, more challenging, and more specific. If \u201cget ripped\u201d is a weak goal, and \u201close 10 pounds\u201d is a strong one, then \u201cLose 10 pounds in 8 weeks\u201d is a really strong one! Also, make sure to not make your time bound goals too big. Who knows where you\u2019ll be in 6 months. Not only does this make goals easier to chew, but it forces you to constantly reevaluate your goals, ensuring that you know what you want.<\/p>\n

Recommended reading:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

\r\n <\/a><\/p>\r\n