How To Fulfill Aspirations

“Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.” Henry David Thoreau

We all aspire to be better, more attractive, stronger, successful, more prosperous, and happier. Aspiring is in our nature. Aspiring is what motivates us and moves us forward. Aspiring is what inspires us to make sacrifices and push beyond our limits. Aspiring is one of the driving forces of life.
Aspirations keep us involved and vital. The lack of aspirations is often a warning sign alerting us of more serious problems.
Having aspirations is great. They compel us to work for what we want. They propel us toward our goals. They give us a competitive edge. They give us smarts and courage we didn’t know we have. They give us the power to overcome unexpected problems.

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Henry Ford

There is however one important thing worth considering before you focus entirely on the pursuit of your aspirations. This one thing decides the strength of your commitment, your success, and your enjoyment of it. What is the one thing? Henry David Thoreau said it well:

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

Ask yourself:
– Do my goals reflect my values? Will I be proud of myself once I achieve them?

Let’s imagine that you are an ecologist at heart. Climbing the corporate ladder in petroleum, industrial agriculture, factory farming, trophy hunting, or the plastic industry may not be a goal to aspire to. At the end of the day, with a great job title and its adherent perks, you may wonder whether achieving your goal was really worth it. Sooner or later, the axe on climate crisis will fall and even your loved ones will wonder why you so eagerly contributed to ecocide. (That’s of course only one example of many. The point is that before committing to a goal, it’s a good idea to consider its short-term and long-term impact and its compatibility with the values you hold dear.)

We all know the phrase “terms and conditions”. These are the things most people usually glance over and I, personally, can’t see them because they tend to be written in the smallest font there is. The terms and conditions accompany everything, including aspirations.

– What will it cost you to achieve your goals? What would you have to sacrifice or compromise to achieve your goals? Will you be proud of yourself once you achieve the goals you aspire to?

Any goal that calls on you to stretch beyond your comfort zone, be it by working smarter or harder; learning; or investing your time and effort, is generally a goal worth pursuing. Why? You’ll score twice: win or lose, you’ll get closer to your goal, and again, win or lose, you’ll become more. It’s a win-win. Whether you succeed the first time around, the second, or the third, you’re a winner.

If, on the other hand, a goal involves more than your merit alone, it may – or may not – be worth pursuing. Business politics, false loyalty, undercutting someone else, etc. are questionable tactics that are bound to haunt you sooner or later. There is no way to rectify the lack of integrity: not now, not later, and not ever. You may not be able to forgive yourself, either.

It’s a very real possibility, you may actually achieve your goals. Before you invest your undivided attention, time, and effort, ask yourself:

– What’s the main change I expect once I succeed? Is it what you really want?
– What other changes do I expect once I succeed? Will I be OK with them?

And finally, the big one:

– How will you feel about yourself once you achieve your objectives?

If there is a chance that you might have some regrets, weigh the pros and cons very carefully once more before you make a commitment.
If, however, you anticipate feeling proud, accomplished, and happy: you are making a good choice!

If the what, how, and after of your aspirations align with your values, you won’t waste time or energy second-guessing yourself. Whatever you’ll do, you’ll do wholeheartedly. You’ll fulfill your aspirations with joy. You’ll be proud of your success.

To quote Henry David Thoreau, again:

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

Once you made sure that your aspirations are what you want today and tomorrow, waste no time. Realize that for a while you’ll have to be single-minded and laser-focused, define the requirements, write down intermediate steps, and create a timeline for mastering / achieving each step. Start as soon as possible. Don’t allow anything and anybody to distract you. Don’t take “no” for an answer. Above all: don’t give up, no matter what.

There is time for dreaming, weighing pros and cons, and there is a time for action. Start, TODAY!

Elbert Hubbard said:

“The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.”

#HowToFulfillAspirations #Spirituality #HumanistChurch #HumanistHolisticChurch

 

 

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