Are You Living or Just Existing?

Which of these statements best reflects your way of thinking “goal setting gives you something to live” or “achieving your goals helps you to feel alive”?

Remember that great feeling? – You know, the one when you feel truly energised, self righteous and bullet proof? Generally it happens when you have achieved something, it might not be particularly special but it means a great deal to you. That’s when you’re living!

Now ask yourself the next question -“ what have you achieved so far this year? Some of us can list great volumes of successes and achievements “ and if you are one of those I congratulate you. However for others there isn’t an awful lot to shout about, a few things have been completed, you’ve overcome the odd trial personally and professionally and you have arrived here, today alive and existing!

Does living mean achieving a goal or is it more the joy you get from achieving that goal that makes you feel alive and feel good. Close your eyes and think about a time when you were really happy, when you felt good to be alive, now set goals to try to replicate that feeling.

Without some sort of goal we drift, without direction we meander; we go to work, deal with the kids, pay the ever increasing bills and often go through the motions. Contrast that to when you have set your heart on something specific that you want to achieve or purchase and the effort you put into getting hold of it. The perseverance and challenges that you went through were tough and then you finally have it in your hands all thanks to your own efforts. A great sense of achievement overwhelms you.

I confess I blow hot and cold when it comes to goal setting, I’m the first to congratulate others who have stretched themselves and achieved more and get inspired to do something myself. But then I slip back into the old habits and meander – very quickly a couple of months have gone by and nothing much has been achieved; I have existed during that time rather than lived, better known to me as Faffing About!.

Goal setting covers many areas; it might be in reaching certain sales targets, remembering to take the time to wallow in a bath and just “be”, or even to slow down the treadmill. Keep a log of your positives each day, reflect each evening on what you have achieved that made you smile and feel that today was a good day.  If you can’t think of something, what are you going to do differently tomorrow to ensure that tomorrow night you will have something good to smile about?

So for you, what does the definition of”living” mean to you? Can you remember when you last felt alive? When do you hope to feel truly alive again? Agree a plan with your family, your partner or your significant other to stop existing and start LIVING!