Setting Goals! Not Today Blog 27

I remember telling my mother that I wouldn’t want the stress at work that my father had. That I’d rather earn less money but live a less stressful life. I was 16 then. It was only years later that I realised it was never about money. It’s about setting goals that ignite a fire inside you.

60 Hour Workweek

My father has had his ups and downs. I went with him through the lowest lows and moments of success in the last few years.

For as long as I can remember my father has had the worst working hours. There is barely a day where he leaves the office before 10 PM. It is his decision. Nobody asks him to. Yes, we need orders to keep this company running. Yes, there are still many processes that need to be automated. But even if the company was running perfectly, he would do the same hours at that same desk. He is not trying to be disciplined to reach his goal, it’s his goal that makes him the disciplined person he is.

Random Discipline

My mind shifted two years later. I was 18 and I knew I had to become rich. I needed to do more. For a couple of years, I was the guy who was an apprentice by day, a college student by night and renovated his parents’ house at the weekend and I loved it. Finally, I had discovered the self-help books section for myself.

I was going full speed, but I didn’t know where I was headed.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

Steve Jobs

Raging Thirst

Not that I think this time of my life was wasted. In fact, it taught me that my body and mind were capable of things that I could have never imagined. But I wasn’t going anywhere, and certainly not towards financial wealth.

I clearly believe that life is about looking for that something you want to achieve. Something you would give your everything for. Achieve it and then look for the next big thing.

And along the way, try as many things as possible and learn as much as you possibly can about yourself – until you know what you want and then go for it.

For me, it was running a marathon. I almost broke myself along the way, but I did it, haha! The next big thing is waiting. And it is not getting rich. It’s so much more.

Forcing yourself to be disciplined is not easy. Nor should it be. Life isn’t primarily about finding ways to achieve a goal; it’s about setting goals that light a fire inside you. That you will eventually figure out how to get there, I have no doubt.

Why Not Today

You are on the right track. Just promise me that you are honest with yourself. If you think you know what you want, don’t try to suppress it. Explore it. I know it’s scary.

Why not today think about things that you wanted to do in the past. Things that were maybe a little crazy. Why didn’t you go for it? Is it too late now? Is there anything new? Something, that is so not you that you are not even talking about it to your best friends? Do it.

Bring it on.

D