We have been hearing inspirational messages for years. We have been motivated by them, challenged by them, and have learned to push ourselves in order to reap the reward of our efforts. We have bought into the notion that we can do anything if we will just believe. We have trusted the person telling us we can have everything we ever wanted if we will work hard and follow their formula. We’ve read the statistics, examined the evidence, and become convinced that certain actions will produce certain results. After all, numbers don’t lie, and we have heard the testimonies of people who have reaped the benefits of following the plan. But we haven’t seen all the numbers, nor have we heard all the stories.
The truth is, plans fall apart. Giving your best doesn’t mean you will be the best. Having a strong desire does not always mean you will attain. You cannot actually achieve everything you can dream. Hard work does not guarantee great reward. We don’t hear the stories about broken lives, failed marriages, or crushed spirits resulting from the times the formula didn’t work for someone. Sometimes goals just serve as bleak reminders of our failures. Many people dedicate their lives to a plan of action, chasing something they can never have only to look back and realize they wasted their best years.
So what’s the alternative? We can just go with the flow and let whatever happens happen. Whatever will be will be, right? You should just live in the moment and be present in the present. Don’t set goals, and you can never fail. Forget about chasing dreams. Just wake up and live for the here and now. Stop reaching for the stars that you can never grasp. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow never comes, so live for today. Even Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 that we should “take no thought for the morrow”. At least you’ll be happy, won’t you? Actually, you won’t be happy or content. We humans are designed in such a way that we are miserable and feel useless if we are not working toward something.
These conflicting truths have left us dazed and confused for years. We feel lost, frustrated, and hopeless. We begin to think “what’s the use?” when we consider that neither striving for goals nor living without goals brings satisfaction. The reality is that we need to dream about tomorrow and have hope for a brighter future. Otherwise, we will die! But it’s also a reality that there are no guarantees in life. We can have a plan and follow a formula, but we may not have the same incredible results that someone else has. So what should we do? I’m glad you asked! I am about to give you some of the best advice you will ever receive. This is going to bring you more joy, energy, peace of mind, and satisfaction than you ever thought possible. Are you ready?
Before I tell you that, I would like to clear something up before anyone calls me out on it. Yes, I know that I took Matthew 6:34 out of context when I mentioned it above. Jesus was speaking to His followers about worry and was teaching them how to live a life of faith. He wasn’t saying “don’t think about tomorrow”, but rather was telling the people not to be overcome with worry and stress about the future. Thank you for letting me clear that up.
Now, back to the greatest piece of advice I can give you. In order to live your best life, know your Reason (why you are working), set some goals, formulate a plan for reaching those goals, and follow your plan knowing that you may not reach every goal. It is better to have a goal and not reach it than to live without the excitement that only chasing a goal can bring. Although “guaranteed” results do not exist, following a proven formula still has a positive impact on your life. If you follow a plan that is supposed to double your income and your income only increases by 25%, you are still much better off than you were before you started. If the diet is supposed to help you lose fifty pounds and you only lose twenty, congratulate yourself on being healthier than you were at the beginning. If you leave your couch with a goal of completing a half-marathon, but you only manage to complete a 5-K run, you are still in much better physical condition than I am!
Getting better is the real goal for any of us. No matter what area of life you are trying to improve, working toward your goal will make you better. Improvement is accomplishment! Let me say that again: Improvement is Accomplishment! Say it with me: Improvement is Accomplishment! No matter how far you are from your goal, if you have improved, you have not failed. No, you cannot achieve everything you can dream. Otherwise, the world would be overrun by dinosaurs, astronauts, and superheroes (what, isn’t that what you dreamed of becoming as a kid?). But, pursuing our dreams will help us become the best possible version of ourselves and will allow us to live our best life – with no regrets in the end!
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