I've travelled domestically and overseas a lot in my lifetime and have seen some amazing destinations, so many I'd love to re-visit a second, third and fourth time and, of course there's still so many I've yet to visit. It's been a privilege to travel so much but not something that just happened, I created it, worked to make the ability to travel possible and so it's less of a privilege I suppose and more of a by-product of hard work and effort.
Even with all that travel there's a destination I've yet to reach and I'm in no real hurry to arrive there - I mean the end of my life...and you're going there too.
Literally no effort or work is required to reach that place, one only need to sit and wait and they'll get there eventually. I don't focus on that destination...although am well aware it's inescapably in my future; no, it's not my focus but it is certainly a motivation.
I've spoken and written about this and it's something that often comes up in the real world (off the internet).
Recently I was conducting a session in which I broached the topic of the end of life asking those present to think forward about the end of all things, their death, then step backwards through to the present moment and write down all the things they wanted to do and achieve in the intervening time on a piece paper; I purposely made them work backwards in time so that the very last thing on the list was the thing that would occur the soonest and be most relevant to the present moment.
The result was interesting and there were a lot of comments about how hard the task was, mutterings about not being able to think of anything and a lot of things written then crossed out. After the fifteen minutes I allotted ended many had only a few items written down and some much more, but not one page was full.
I believe it is everyone's responsibility to be able to list the things they wish to do and achieve in their lives - those that want to get to the end of life without regret or feelings that they didn't make the most of it it anyway.
When I say list I mean write them down in a short focused space of time which would mean they are front of mind and thought about items.
Sure, it's difficult to know what one may like to do, be or have many years down the track but a concept would be nice right? Things like health, financial security, good relationships, job promotion, travel, children, accolades, skills and education...these things and others like them should be a goal for everyone. I believe that being able to list short, medium and long term items is one of the keys to unlocking a better future because knowing what that that thing is, the goal, and why it's important means people can plan for it and start the journey to that point.
Without the goal, the why and the plan the journey can't begin and those desired things become little more than a dreams.
With those in the group, I asked them to take the very last thing on their lists and set out a plan of attack they could follow to actually make it happen, to identify the roadblocks and challenges they'd face, what was in their control to affect and was was without, how they would measure their progress and to where (and how) they may pivot should things not work to plan amongst other such items...and that's what everyone should be doing when it comes to working towards a short, medium or long term goal. It takes action as well and a whole lot of other things besides, but the journey always needs to start with the set goal, the why or reason and the plan of attack.
I'm going to a place I'd rather not go, the final destination, and you're going there too,that fact isn't in question, you, me and everyone else is going to die. What the question everyone on the planet should be asking themselves is, "what am I doing on the way there, what value do I want my life to return and what am I prepared to do to make that return a reality.?"
Have you asked and answered those questions?
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own