While this can be an exemplary point of pride for some, for others, it’s an ongoing battle to not only face, but accomplish them. And we are not talking about business targets or social expectations — but your own deep-rooted, personal, self-fulfilling, “I want to feel great!” goals....

Identifying, creating and working through your personal goals is crucial. If you are one of those (and there are many) who haven’t yet created life goals, never fear. You can revise and also start afresh with this guide.

Revisit life goals
Whether you are feeling content with your life goals, stuck or even unsure how to start, goals are ongoing — there is never too late a time to reassess them. While the misconception surrounding goals highlights achievement, the real worth is the process. The real benefit in knowing, acknowledging and reassessing your goals is for them to act like a beacon, a guiding light or true North towards making choices day to day. If you do not have a destination in mind, how would one know which directions to take along the path?

Start with acknowledging an area or project you wish to improve upon. The big question here: what needs improving or changing that could improve reaching the goal more easily and comfortably? Time is typically in short stock but in high demand. This doesn’t mean that any one goal is not worth your time and effort. The trick here is in prioritizing according to importance and your available resources to get there — without feeling stressed to rush and accomplish it. Avoid wasting valuable time spinning your wheels in accomplishing goals. Remember joy should be in the journey towards reaching the goal, not always the outcome. Useless strain and effort towards meeting goals become cumbersome. However, there is value in reassessing your goals.

life goals

How to reprioritize: decide what is important
To start reprioritizing, determine what you actually find enjoyable and important. Here, we want to help remind you of four fundamental elements to consider when considering value and worth in your life.

1. Joy
   This is an oftentimes left out component of goal setting and prioritizing. While we have our eyes set on the distant horizons of the “one day”, don’t let yourself lose the joy of today.
2. Plan
   An easy solution to this: plan for joy. While we are busy pencilling in meetings and working out in your calendar, also give importance to your hobbies and inspirations. You have the power to determine what matters and how much time you devote to each thing in your life. Make the time to plan for yourself, the same you would plan for a meeting, or schedule driving for a child. Enter a time for yourself on your calendar or daytimer, or whatever you use.
3. Accessibility
   Make joy accessible. Keep that book in your bag or downloaded on your portable device to read instead of scrolling on social media, but also as a mindset. Don’t hold back in letting joy in. Consider moving that meal to a picnic outdoors. If you want to lead a lifestyle doing what you love, start doing it now. Love wildlife? Spend more time learning with documentaries and going on walks through nature reserves. Enjoy a good meal? Try out that new recipe you have been eyeing and create something new.
   Key takeaway? Put effort into your intention for joy and make it happen. If you plan and prepare for joy, you are making it matter. And yes, your joy matters.
4. Time
   Time is a hot commodity. Everybody wants a piece of it. In today’s fast-paced world, accelerated living and instant gratification are hard to avoid. The real challenge many face is in slowing the pace down. Slow down enough to breathe, think, observe and enjoy the beauty around you.
   We often get so caught up in to-do lists, making meetings, running errands and processing information barraging our senses, our minds are simply overwhelmed. Goals become a menace when we are fighting and striving to get to them sooner. The need for holidays and extreme after work indulging serves as a coping mechanism, where many start to develop unhealthy habits. I know too well the realities of this side-effect. The best way to combat this is to make the effort to practice being present and mindful. Give yourself, your mind and wellbeing a chance to actually live in the moment instead of chasing the future. Recognize your importance. And use that recognition at motivation towards being present.
5. Space
   Once you have allowed yourself the time to pause, take stock of your surroundings. When was the last time you inhaled fresh air, felt at one with your environment and your relationships with others and yourself? Noticing the finer details of your life can so easily pass you by and get dismissed. In the old old adage of making time to “stop and smell the roses”, it serves as an imperative reminder of patience. Allowing yourself to stop, use your senses, get grounded and live in the space you are currently inhabiting, here and now. For most able-bodied people, we have five senses. Use them. Why are we living a life not using these incredible abilities and chasing the preconceived notion of what is important? Take stock of the reality you live in, get out of your thoughts, false realities and beliefs you may have created — and your perspectives might just change. Create space by separating from things that crowd your space. Set boundaries for others and even yourself to follow. And use those boundaries to insulate yourself from reactive prompting situations. If even for a small moment. Then build on these moments into larger and larger moments of space.
6. Perspective
   When you take the time to enjoy the space you are in, you enjoy life more. You find yourself reminded of your personal goals worth fulfilling and the greater picture. To appreciate that picture, redefine your perspective. The best piece of advice for life goals and living your best life: avoid falling into a habitual pattern of taking things for granted. Stop to practice gratitude.

Life is simply an ongoing stitching together of moments, it’s our duty to appreciate them. Savor moments worth cherishing instead of racing to a future event or dwelling on the past. The present is now. Be present. The moment you begin to live in that mindframe, things will start to reprioritize themselves. Those material needs or false ideals you are trying to live up to? They will get reshuffled, guaranteed. Your goals need not get hindered by social expectations or business goals, but personal life-fulfilling living. Allow your new perspective to guide you and reframe your life goals worth working on. As Wayne Dyer said, “once you change the way you look at something, what you look at changes”.

Give your life goals the go-ahead
We hope you resonated with this guide. If you feel that you want to work further on your life goals through mindful living, consider practicing meditation. For further guidance, feel free to contact Dave.