JOIN USAll of us want to be efficient, happy, healthy and self-reliant. On the face of it, goals such as these may seem to be negligible or even fanciful. But, when they are put together in a planned fashion, they create visible results that motivate us to keep it that way for a long time.
Especially in the case of women who are always putting the welfare and happiness of others before themselves. You need to nurture your own dreams too, no matter how big or small they may seem.
While dreams differ from person to person, it’s important to ensure that they are tangible and something that one can pursue, either in the short-term or long-term. Not sure what these goals must be? Here are a few common goals, which when followed with dedication, can bring about a lasting sense of achievement into our lives and also encourage us to become more focussed.
Wonder: Have you heard the story of the boy called Madhuchhanda? Ready for education, he was brought to a rishi’s ashram for training. When the bewildered boy was alone after the parents left, he did not know what to do and asked his guru what was expected of him. The guru answered him in one word — chara, which means walk.
Madhuchhanda, not knowing where to walk, thought it best to follow the guru and try his luck. Next morning, before sunrise, he saw the guru walking towards the river and followed him. He was amazed to see the flowing water glimmering in the early light, the plants and trees waiting for the sunrise — but most of all, he saw that across the river, there was another ashram where a lamp was burning steadily. With wonder, he realised that someone else was also up at dawn and that the light of the lamp somehow gave him a sense of security. Madhuchhanda went on to discover all the elements and how they enrich our lives and this was the foundation of his education.
Like Madhuchhanda, we need to have a childlike quality, which prompts us to look for
wonderful events around us — in nature, in human behaviour and in our daily lives. Similarly, humourous events are also small wonders that can add an extra zing to our search. This search can be made easy if we walk in a quiet place.
By doing so, we can eliminate the need to indulge in any sort of negativity that can impact our lives. So, make it a goal never to lose your sense of wonder.
Innovation & integrity: We all have the ability to innovate, no matter how big or small. The question is do we use this ability to make us better people? Do we develop integrity and earn the trust of our family, colleagues and friends? Often, we get carried away by the outward or immediate gain of reaching a specific goal. The idea here is to ponder a bit, evaluate one’s long-term gains and then innovate a new route to the results through a reasonable action. Even seemingly small goals such as completing a task on time or within available funds gives us a sense of confidence.
Don’t give up: Tenacity and consistent hard work always pay. However, we need to check if the goal at the end of the effort is worth all the work and patience. If it is going to be a feather in our caps, we should never give up. For instance, a simple goal of reaching a destination such as home or a workplace on time must be made a habit.
Be a constant learner: However successful we may be, there are so many things that can add to our knowledge, socially and professionally. Each day, there are new ways to do things, new knowledge to be acquired and new people to get to know. So, set aside some time to learn new skills or sharpen existing ones as knowledge is the key to a winning lifestyle.
The idea is to enrich our lives every day. n More power: This is something that we should seek in our daily lives. Making small changes in our behaviour can make us feel in charge of our lives, time and relationships. As a result, not only does it make our goals more enjoyable, it also makes them more empowering.
Having result-oriented goals that are real and tangible can help us move ahead. Have goals that help you work towards sustaining good health, good relationships and good work ethics. It’s a journey that needs our utmost passion and concentration. These are essential for our progress.
If you are working woman, don’t hesitate to pursue specific disciplines that’ll benefit your professional growth. You need to master small but significant skills which can ensure success and confidence. Create a daily schedule to learn the finer details of your work so that you can be more productive. In case you are a homemaker, your goals may be different, but the journey to achieve them will essentially be the same.
Because all goals — however small — as long as they are realistic, neatly defined and achievable, have the power to unlock our hidden potential and make us
better at what we do!