Truth is, most of us will still be here a year from now (at least that’s the way to bet) and looking at the same unstarted needs, wants, aspirations, goals.
There’s an old Schmiedeleut saying:
“Plan like you are going to live 1000 years, Live like you could pass away tomorrow” (don’t ask me to say it in hutterisch which is pretty much extinct except in parts of Justinistan)
Bottom line, in dire and uncertain times, pursuing your goals and dreams and personal development is just as important -maybe even more so! Don’t let crisis “fight or flight” thinking mess with your planning, if at all possible.
Remember:
The Buddhists are right. There is no escaping pain. Better to actively choose the pain of discipline in working towards your goals. (You already know what they are. If not, meditate for an hour, or walk for 5 or 10 miles. They’ll come back to you)
Remember too, that this list hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years, maybe ever (I take number 2 to mean “working for the man”… not entrepreneurship -just my two cents):
How to start? Get up, take one step in the direction you know you want to go.
One step
One call
One downpayment
One workout
One apology
Then do it again, 1000 times
The first 30 will make it a habit. After that momentum kicks in, doors open up, and it gets a life of its own. “Why didn’t I start earlier?”
Not a bad approach to 2024:
"Im 98 yrs old listen to your body and treat your family friends well I know i haven't much time please listen to your inner self. life is tough make it easy and don't beat your self up over mistakes try learn be kind to you. night my fellow humans.."
4:31 Chapter 1: Stand up straight with your shoulders straight 16:24 Chapter 2: Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping 22:53 Chapter 3: Befriend people who want the best for you 25:45 Chapter 4: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not the useless person you are today 37:22 Chapter 5: Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them 48:54 Chapter 6: Set your house in order before you criticise the world 58:47 Chapter 7: Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient 1:05:00 Chapter 9: Assume the person you are listening to knows something you don’t 1:11:43 Chapter 11: Do not bother children while they are skateboarding 1:17:09 Chapter 12: Pet a cat when you encounter one in the street 1:22:30 Q&A session Chapter missing: Chapter 8: Tell the truth. Or at least don’t lie Chapter 10: Be precise in your speech
https://youtu.be/-5RCmu-HuTg?si=v-bW58Oe83MXUPkl
It's not true. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the commitment to make the journey and the first step. Lots of journeys end after one step or a dozen.
There was a Brit who wrote about his mountain climbing expedition. He said that he found all manner of unexpected support arose after he was committed to his goals. Then he quoted what he said is a couplet from Goethe as follows:
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
Anyway it's poetic.