That sounds like an awful lot of planning, I agree with the general concept and if you want to achieve anything in life it takes hard work and a minimum of planning but personally planning too much gives me a headache and make me less motivated and efficient. For me my long term goals are:
1) become a martial arts master someday: to me this means to achieve instructor level in at least 3 arts including JJ 2) become a sensei and guide at least one individual to black belt level 3) get my university degree, preferably several 4) marry my sweetheart (pretty unlikely since we broke up but for some reason I can't shake the notion of us together again someday) 5) get a meaningful job that pays reasonably well and matches well with my intellectual abilities 6) achieve a reasonable level of knowledge with respect to the greatest works in literature and the products of the fine arts. Related to 3 but definately not identical.
For my education I try to keep up with the courses and do any assignements and papers asap. In my personal life I don't really plan anything since I meet my friends whenever I feel like it or they contact me. Training days are set and routine so that's a no brainer. Planning too much tends to suck much of the fun out of doing stuff: some days I feel like doing more, some days less and since I don't know how I'm going to wake up I try to keep the planning to a minimum without foregoing responsibilities or failing to meet deadlines.
As to your next post: the biggest timewasters are generally other people of the boring and/or nasty kind. I found it's best to eliminate them from your life asap: it saves times, reduces stress and in general makes life more enjoyable. If you aren't for me you're against me and I'm not going to waste my valuable time on you, not when I don't absolutely have to.
Here's one of the greatest pieces of advice ever:
"My formula for happiness: a yes, a no, a goal and a straight line to that goal". (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Just keep that in mind and you'll do fine, another thing he said is that it's foolish to want happiness: all you need is worthwhile work that redeems existence itself and contributes to the greater good. Peope are way too selfish these days, myself included.
I admit it can seem like a lot of work, but I actually enjoy the process. It gets me excited for the future and when I look at how many things I have checked off on my lists as times passes, I feel a great sense of accomplishment.
I know it's not for everyone though. Everyone has to find what works for them personally. At the very least, people can read this post and think about what they can do in their lives to live more efficiently and effectively.
Hi Lori, this is an excellent post. If I could add one thing to it, it would be to make a habit (a lifestyle) of it. If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off.
It is certainly true that we all have to find our own way in life and it's logical that our means of achieving our goals ought to be different since the goals themselves are different. Hence the need to respect other people's paths eventhough they may seem dull or ridiculous to you. I do see the advantage of setting concrete goals for yourself and evaluating periodically how close you've gotten to them, also regular evaluating of the goals themselves and the priority they should have in the present moment. I used to think getting my shodan was terribly important but now my focus is more on studying and looking for a job than anything else, the more so since my training partner has less time to devote to training. It doesn't really matter when as long as it happens at some point: goals are pretty illusionary anyway since the moment the goal is met another one takes it places just like you forget about the bite of food as soon as you swallow it. Still it's good to keep busy, be useful to others and make use of your abilities so they don't fade, still I wonder what the ultimate goal of existence is or should be. Care to venture a guess?
Zara
PS: as an added question I'd like to ask you what you think the ultimate goal of training in the art(s) is or should be and why it's important in the first place.
That sounds like an awful lot of planning, I agree with the general concept and if you want to achieve anything in life it takes hard work and a minimum of planning but personally planning too much gives me a headache and make me less motivated and efficient. For me my long term goals are:
ReplyDelete1) become a martial arts master someday: to me this means to achieve instructor level in at least 3 arts including JJ
2) become a sensei and guide at least one individual to black belt level
3) get my university degree, preferably several
4) marry my sweetheart (pretty unlikely since we broke up but for some reason I can't shake the notion of us together again someday)
5) get a meaningful job that pays reasonably well and matches well with my intellectual abilities
6) achieve a reasonable level of knowledge with respect to the greatest works in literature and the products of the fine arts. Related to 3 but definately not identical.
For my education I try to keep up with the courses and do any assignements and papers asap. In my personal life I don't really plan anything since I meet my friends whenever I feel like it or they contact me. Training days are set and routine so that's a no brainer. Planning too much tends to suck much of the fun out of doing stuff: some days I feel like doing more, some days less and since I don't know how I'm going to wake up I try to keep the planning to a minimum without foregoing responsibilities or failing to meet deadlines.
As to your next post: the biggest timewasters are generally other people of the boring and/or nasty kind. I found it's best to eliminate them from your life asap: it saves times, reduces stress and in general makes life more enjoyable. If you aren't for me you're against me and I'm not going to waste my valuable time on you, not when I don't absolutely have to.
Here's one of the greatest pieces of advice ever:
"My formula for happiness: a yes, a no, a goal and a straight line to that goal". (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Just keep that in mind and you'll do fine, another thing he said is that it's foolish to want happiness: all you need is worthwhile work that redeems existence itself and contributes to the greater good. Peope are way too selfish these days, myself included.
Zara
I admit it can seem like a lot of work, but I actually enjoy the process. It gets me excited for the future and when I look at how many things I have checked off on my lists as times passes, I feel a great sense of accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI know it's not for everyone though. Everyone has to find what works for them personally. At the very least, people can read this post and think about what they can do in their lives to live more efficiently and effectively.
Hi Lori, this is an excellent post. If I could add one thing to it, it would be to make a habit (a lifestyle) of it. If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly true that we all have to find our own way in life and it's logical that our means of achieving our goals ought to be different since the goals themselves are different. Hence the need to respect other people's paths eventhough they may seem dull or ridiculous to you. I do see the advantage of setting concrete goals for yourself and evaluating periodically how close you've gotten to them, also regular evaluating of the goals themselves and the priority they should have in the present moment. I used to think getting my shodan was terribly important but now my focus is more on studying and looking for a job than anything else, the more so since my training partner has less time to devote to training. It doesn't really matter when as long as it happens at some point: goals are pretty illusionary anyway since the moment the goal is met another one takes it places just like you forget about the bite of food as soon as you swallow it. Still it's good to keep busy, be useful to others and make use of your abilities so they don't fade, still I wonder what the ultimate goal of existence is or should be. Care to venture a guess?
ReplyDeleteZara
PS: as an added question I'd like to ask you what you think the ultimate goal of training in the art(s) is or should be and why it's important in the first place.