“The true function of man is to live, not just to exist.”
Jack London (1876 – 1916) writer and journalist
Do you remember the story “Alice in Wonderland”? Do you remember when she came to the crossroads and asked the cat nearby which way to go? The cat asked where she wanted to go. Alice replied that she didn't know. The cat replied that, if so, any path would lead her to her destination. Like Alice, most of us don't know where we want to go. We got up in the morning because they said we have to work.
We spend the day working, doing everything that has to be done. At the end of the day, we go home, spend some time with the family, have dinner, and settle down in front of the television, letting it insult our intelligence and numb our curious minds, so that the next morning, when the alarm goes off, we can be numb enough to start another routine day in which we won't reach any goals. In other words, most of us wander aimlessly, passive organisms, reacting to life's challenges like the proverbial rudderless boat. Will the boat find a port? Not even a given port, but either? Difficultly. If that happens, it will be by chance. It's tragic, but most of us spend more time making plans for a party, a vacation or an outing than we do planning our lives!
where are you going?
You find yourself on a difficult climb, on some rung of life that seems to disappear into the clouds above. Someday you will have children. One day they will finish school. One day a better job will come along. One day your children will get married. One day you will have more freedom to travel. One day you will retire. And then, naturally, one day you will die.
But what about life? Why bother? If so many people are doing well, without a purpose, without goals, why would you care to be different? The reason is you want success!
Each individual lives according to his purposes. We may not call them “targets”, but that's what they are. The way we live at any given moment is determined by the target towards which we move. If our goals are clear and good, we are almost certain to be living well, but if our goals are inferior or confused, chances are our lives will also have these qualities.
So we need priorities. We need to know that we are working on the best and most important targets.
Targets are our motivation for the future; but unplanned targets are like a ship that has a destination but no rudder. You may be on the move but have little or no control over your direction. Good targets deserve good plans.
Dream, plan and live!
Daniel Luz is Human Resources Director at Miranos and a columnist for Gente Mais Portal.
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