In a recent interview, author Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist, spoke about the need to honour the journey of your life. I was fascinated by his description of not knowing the journey of each day as each day he wakes up a different person. It is the true recognition of impermanence and the reality of constant change. We just do not know what each day, even each moment will bring.
For many of us, growing up included coaching to have long term goals. We were told to figure out what we wanted to do in life and then strive to achieve it. But what happens when we achieve the goal? We ask what comes next; what new goal should be established. Is there satisfaction with achieving the goals? Most people, I think, would say yes. But then ask, how long did that satisfaction last. How long before you yearned for the next goal?
So often, the establishment of goals is about external achievements - position, wealth, power, material gain. This is the problem with most goal setting. It is done to achieve some form of external status that will be admired by others. Inherent in it, however, is the notion of competition. Achieving goals is often about being "better than" in some way.
Also in the goal setting, is the concept of there being an endpoint. The journey of life never stops until death. It requires that each day we are on the journey but do we honour that reality? Are we even paying attention to the journey or are we focused only on the goal?
Our ego gets in the way. Ego says achieve the goal and grab the prize. Ego defines us by winning whatever goal based competition we are engaged in. Ego will not be satisfied which is partly why we keep setting up new goals. Ego does not like recognizing that each day we travel the journey of life being aware of what happens. Ego resists us feeling from moment to moment the reality of life.
If we are aware of the journey, we must also be aware of the daily pain that occurs. While there will be moments of joy, happiness, gratitude there will also be moments of sadness, disappointment, fear and loss. By knowing we are on a journey, we need not hold onto what we feel at any moment but observe our reality. If we are not paying attention to the moment, we are walking blind, not seeing the pathway and hoping we get the next step right.
For many of us, growing up included coaching to have long term goals. We were told to figure out what we wanted to do in life and then strive to achieve it. But what happens when we achieve the goal? We ask what comes next; what new goal should be established. Is there satisfaction with achieving the goals? Most people, I think, would say yes. But then ask, how long did that satisfaction last. How long before you yearned for the next goal?
So often, the establishment of goals is about external achievements - position, wealth, power, material gain. This is the problem with most goal setting. It is done to achieve some form of external status that will be admired by others. Inherent in it, however, is the notion of competition. Achieving goals is often about being "better than" in some way.
Also in the goal setting, is the concept of there being an endpoint. The journey of life never stops until death. It requires that each day we are on the journey but do we honour that reality? Are we even paying attention to the journey or are we focused only on the goal?
Our ego gets in the way. Ego says achieve the goal and grab the prize. Ego defines us by winning whatever goal based competition we are engaged in. Ego will not be satisfied which is partly why we keep setting up new goals. Ego does not like recognizing that each day we travel the journey of life being aware of what happens. Ego resists us feeling from moment to moment the reality of life.
If we are aware of the journey, we must also be aware of the daily pain that occurs. While there will be moments of joy, happiness, gratitude there will also be moments of sadness, disappointment, fear and loss. By knowing we are on a journey, we need not hold onto what we feel at any moment but observe our reality. If we are not paying attention to the moment, we are walking blind, not seeing the pathway and hoping we get the next step right.
This also suggests that we know where the pathway will take us. We do not as we cannot predict the future so why are we obsessed with believing we can control the pathway?
Fear
Each step I take
There you are
Fear
I awake with you
You tell me I will not achieve
Fear
I fight you
I will prove you wrong
Fear
You are my enemy
You must be defeated
Fear
You are always there
What am I to do with you
Fear
You never leave
I fear you
Fear
You are faithful to me
You could teach me
Fear
You are a teacher
But you are not my only teacher
Fear
I have let you speak
I can hear you
Fear
You are part of the orchestra
But you are not my only instrument
Fear
I can love you
I can accept you
Fear
I want to accept you
But still I fear you
© Peter Choate, 2016
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