I'm not big on planning too far ahead into the future.
To do that, you have to assume what the future would be like. And I'm not big on the idea that the future is determinate and immutable.
I like my future to be not tied to the past nor present.
I like my future to be fluid and limitless.
I like my future to be filled with infinite possibilities and surprises.
Setting Milestones
Does that mean we shouldn't set goals and milestones for ourselves? Of course not.
Life must be purposeful, and every purpose has a direction. Life is a journey, and every journey has a destination.
But the direction and destination shouldn't be set in stone. It's okay to deviate. It's okay to be distracted. It's okay to delay a little.
Not all the time, of course. And definitely not when you're rushing to meet an important deadline you promise you'll keep.
Near And Far
How far is 'too far ahead'?
Well, as usual, it depends. On the nature of activity you're planning for.
Planning on what to eat for dinner for the whole next week is 'too far ahead'.
Planning on how many babies to bear on the first day of your date is 'too far ahead'.
Planning on when to retire when you've just started working is 'too far ahead'
What's wrong with planning too far ahead?
First, you're only heaping unnecessary pressure on yourself which you may not able to keep due to changing circumstances.
But more importantly, you're limiting how far and fast you can go.
Know Yourself
The first rule of planning the future is knowing thyself.
But truth is, we barely know our own selves well enough.
As a kid, I used to loathe eating vegetables just because of how green they look and bland they taste. But then I started to appreciate how they add flavour to a meal.
As a kid, I had little respect and love for my teachers at school. But ironically enough, I'm now a teacher.
As a kid, I wanted to be a pilot. But now, I dream of travelling across the stars.
Future Flows
To do that, you have to assume what the future would be like. And I'm not big on the idea that the future is determinate and immutable.
I like my future to be not tied to the past nor present.
I like my future to be fluid and limitless.
I like my future to be filled with infinite possibilities and surprises.
Setting Milestones
Does that mean we shouldn't set goals and milestones for ourselves? Of course not.
Life must be purposeful, and every purpose has a direction. Life is a journey, and every journey has a destination.
But the direction and destination shouldn't be set in stone. It's okay to deviate. It's okay to be distracted. It's okay to delay a little.
Not all the time, of course. And definitely not when you're rushing to meet an important deadline you promise you'll keep.
 |
| Destination everywhere |
Near And Far
How far is 'too far ahead'?
Well, as usual, it depends. On the nature of activity you're planning for.
Planning on what to eat for dinner for the whole next week is 'too far ahead'.
Planning on how many babies to bear on the first day of your date is 'too far ahead'.
Planning on when to retire when you've just started working is 'too far ahead'
What's wrong with planning too far ahead?
First, you're only heaping unnecessary pressure on yourself which you may not able to keep due to changing circumstances.
But more importantly, you're limiting how far and fast you can go.
Know Yourself
The first rule of planning the future is knowing thyself.
But truth is, we barely know our own selves well enough.
As a kid, I used to loathe eating vegetables just because of how green they look and bland they taste. But then I started to appreciate how they add flavour to a meal.
As a kid, I had little respect and love for my teachers at school. But ironically enough, I'm now a teacher.
As a kid, I wanted to be a pilot. But now, I dream of travelling across the stars.
 |
| To infinity and beyond! |
Future Flows
What a difference a year makes. Or a month. Or a week. Or even a day.
It's amazing how much our minds and hearts can change over time. The joy of life is discovering who we truly are. And the journey of self-discovery takes a lifetime.
The future can't be forced. You got to let the future flow.
No comments :
Post a Comment