A rich and happy life is something we all aspire to, but it isn’t something that just happens. Without careful consideration and an achievable plan, the likelihood is that the quality of life that you crave will simply never come to fruition. With this in mind, here we explore the art of setting realistic goals and planning a design for a better life.
Destination Happiness
Like any journey, before you can plot a route, you need to pinpoint your destination and so the first step towards a better life involves working out what you want to achieve. For many, this can be the most challenging part of the process – with so many options in life, where does one start?
A good place to start is by making a list of the things that make you happy and why they do so. Aim to narrow down the list to 3 key components and try to remember that “chasing the dollar” doesn’t necessarily make for a happy life.
Also, it makes sense to try to cover three main areas; what brings you personal happiness, what aspects of your career make you happy and then the same for your family and social life.
Planet Reality
Next, think about specific and realistic goals. So, for example, your personal goal may come from a love of music and that learning to play the guitar or heading out once every month to see a live band may increase your personal happiness. These kind of goals are achievable and so are not likely to cause you any grief, if only you strive to meet them in a determined manner.
Setting out to become a musician and winning the Mercury Award for Best Newcomer, conversely, may lead to some disappointment – set realistic targets for all the items on your happiness list.
A Vehicle for Success
Your goals are the destination you want to reach and you must now work out how you will get there. Defining the steps, you need to take to achieve your goals, is the next step and using the earlier example of learning to play the guitar, the steps may involve signing up for some lessons or buying a guitar.
Again, the steps need to be realistic if they are to provide an effective vehicle for success. Once you have decided on the steps, it is time to act and to take a sensible and pragmatic approach to achieve a more fulfilling and happier life.
