One thing which is a characteristic of most humans is the desire to move from one point in our lives to another. We all have an inborn need to progress, to achieve more or discover new horizons. Having goals and aspirations give our lives direction and momentum. It helps us to feel invigorated and fills us with a sense of hope and anticipation.
Many people, however, never seem to achieve their goals. They have dreams and wishes, but eventually their enthusiasm fizzles out till there is nothing left but the mundane and ordinary. They become depressed and disillusioned.
The reason for this is that they had no clear plan, and no action backing up their dreams.
Life is often compared to a journey. I absolutely agree with that view.
In order to turn our dreams into reality, we have to approach it as one would when undertaking a journey.
First of all we need to know exactly where we want to go. We have to know the destination. We certainly do not just get into our vehicles and aimlessly start driving around hoping we will get somewhere wonderful. We need to decide where we want to go and why we want to go there.
Without a clear understanding of our destination it will be easy to be sidetracked onto roads meandering nowhere.
Once we know where we are heading it is important to have a map of the road we have to travel to get there. What is the best way to go about reaching your destination? Do I have to take a few workshops or enroll for a course in order to better equip myself? Maybe it is necessary to work for a few years as an apprentice to gain the necessary skills I need before I can venture out on my own. Whatever it is, do not delay, map your road ahead.
Once we have settled on the route to take it is necessary to gather everything we need for the journey ahead. Just like a car needs oil and fuel for the road ahead, we need the essentials for our journey. How much money will be needed, what skills are necessary and what resources will be useful along the way. I also have to plan what pit stops I need to make on my journey. I have to break my journey up into smaller manageable sections, smaller goals, that will ultimately take me to my destination.
After deciding on the destination, planning the route, gathering all the things needed for the journey and determining where we need to rest along the journey it is time to take action. This is the stage where many people lose the impetus. They get caught up in the excitement of the planning, but never go over into action. We have to get in the car, turn the ignition and step on the accelerator. Forward is the only way to go, all the time keeping the destination in mind. However, it is crucial that we enjoy the journey and take in the scenery along the way. Finally it is advisable that we regularly take a moment to review the journey we have undertaken. We have to take note of what we have learned along the way and what adjustments we have to make. Were there any detours we had to negotiate? Are we still on course or do have to recalculate our route?
As we travel along on our journey we have to constantly remind ourselves about the reason we are travelling to our destination and we have to keep our goal in mind. Although it is important to now and again check our rear-view mirror, we must keep our eyes firmly on the road ahead, because that is the way we have to go. Above all, enjoy the trip!
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