Over the last year, my life has taken a bit of a turn. My perspective of things has changed, the way I think about life and living has shifted. I’m sure this is partly just because I’m getting older! But also it has to do with being more aware of what I want to get out of life.
Plenty of people reach a point in their lives where they just aren’t satisfied with where they are, or what they have. Midlife crisis is a great example of this – people start realizing that their life is going by very quickly, and think they’re running out of time to “have fun”.
The question is:
Have you ever really spent time thinking about what you want to get out of life? Or will you wait until you reach a point where you realize life is passing you by?
Alex Blackwell from The Bridgemaker recently posted on specific strategies for personal growth. Here’s a thought provoking statement that he makes:
“The desire to create the life we want takes a measure of risk and it does take courage. Sometimes building a solid foundation when we make the decision to walk away from our comfort zones gives us the firm footing we need to go forward and to explore what’s next in our lives.”
Are you content in all areas of you life? Why not start to overcome fears of failure, and think about some areas of your life you can change.
Seriously, what are you looking for in life?
That is a very good question! After spending all of my childhood and part of my adult in a dogmatic religion and unhealthy relationships, I haven’t given this much (or any) thought. I will definitely go to bed with this question.
I still don’t know, but I know that I am committed to figuring it out (at some point). I concur about the courage; it’s hard to admit that I don’t know, and what I thought I did know might be completely wrong.
@Carla – Thanks for your thoughts, it’s a question I also like to re-address from time to time..
@Sara – Great insight, I often feel the way you have described – thinking you might know, at times feeling you don’t know, but being committed to figuring it out..
I think that it’s a fascinating and important question that needs to be stewed on many times in our life, there’s often not a clear cut or ready made answer – the point is to not let life go by without making sure you ask yourself “what am I really looking for here, what am I trying to achieve?”
I’ve found in the last few years that my ‘wants’ in life are not too important, compared to what God wants for my life. Getting closer to God & getting to know Him more, for me, has meant that my desires for life have been able to mean more as they have been things that can be put into His hands – a safe place. I’ve also found that wanting God’s purposes to happen in things in my life has made them way more fulfilling.
Doesn’t make life easier, but does make it worthwhile & fulfilling.
However, God promises that plans comitted to Him will succeed. It’s important to know what’s involved with the comitting to Him part. It seems like the biggest aspect of this is unselfishness.
As an aside, it seems to me that some people are satisfied with stability & routine with not much changing in life, and other people are satisfied with new & exciting things or changes of direction. Just a way in which people are different. I think more important than this is the fact that everything can be satisfying in life if done with a good attitude, an attitude that puts others 1st.
I would add to the quote presented, with the point that much of the courage needed to create the life we are interested in involves letting people around us know our actual plans. This is hard enough to be a stopping point for most goals as the resistance to our goals/interests from those closest to us can seem to be unsurpassable. It is those that are closest to us that can have the effect of keeping us down if we don’t acquire the understanding that we have to ignore material directed toward us that isn’t encouraging.
That quote which you gave from Alex Blackwell really describes the past 1 and a half years of my life. Back then I was going through my mid-life crises, at the age of 27.
In a nutshell, I worked as a software engineer for almost 5 years and it took me about 3 of those years to realize I dont like where I was going in life, despite the fact I had a good job and no real issues like debt or anything. I felt I should be doing more than just sitting in a cubicle for 8+ hours a day and interact with new people instead of the same office people. I wanted to help others on a physical and personal level instead of making a private company more rich, so I decided to be a doctor. Long story short I was accepted into a medical school in a 3rd world country and here I am now. Going from the corporate world to 3rd world is quite an adjustment, take my word on that.
I have many ambitious goals now, whereas a few years prior I was pondering what to do with my life despite living a very comfortable life. That first step to walk away from it all was the hardest. Adjusting to the 3rd world is the 2nd hardest…lol.
I am actually pondering over this question for the last few months, after having a very rough year personally and professionally. I had to look at everything, and it was like I was looking at everything with a different perspective. Things I didnt see before. And none of what I had done before made any sense. I guess thats the time you realize you have grown up finally. But since you have created so much chaos in your previous attempts at life, even if I was coming closer to the answers of what I actually want, I was still miles away from fulfilling any of the answers. And life seems to be passing by each day, and I feel stuck with this question. And I feel so terrified cos all the options I currently have do not seem to be in cohesion with my life goals. But I cant sit on it forever? So what do I do?
After much anticiaption in to finding love I have come to the conclusion that it is really really fucked up and I am really living in a fantasy …..coz the perfect man does not exist so why even bother…I mean why tell someone that you love them and plan a life together and then throw it away…if anyone can shed some light on the working of a male mind I woud be ever so interested coz I so don’t understand how the average male mind works….it really is all a mystery to me
didnt realise how many people are looking for a better direction in life . after a series of failed gay relationships ,now in a totally settled civil partnership ,its gave me the solid foundation to look to pastures new ,so just applying for volunteer jobs in a hospice ,to ground you ,and make you realise how life is precious ,and its not all about ,houses ,hjolidays ,celebs ,flash cars ,it really does not make you happy . i got to the point of saying NOW WHAT can i do ,buy ,and felt so empty . i Do 3 days at my regular job ,and going to volunteer 2 afternoons a week ,plan to do the great north run for the dogs trust next year . someone said to me once ,and its very true ,dont be thinking ,and regreting the past . wishing what you could have in the future ,because today and your life is passing you by .on a down day .do something for someone else less fortunate ,you will feel better ,i promise .