Vital Questions - III

 

 

"Efforts and courage are not enough without  purpose and direction" John F. Kennedy

 Why I want to do it -Intention

Most of the time people mix up their 'intention' with their 'goals'. Generally goals are the  tangible achievements, while the  intention is an internal experience toward the  goals .

The modern life style pushes all of us to the pre-defined goals,  as the requirements of our survival. And we are automatically following these MUST of life goals without  necessarily  finding our own intention and happiness among them.

The automatic common intention of everyone for these  achievements , is  being normal and acceptable by the others.  To be a good child, a good student, a good co-worker, a good citizen, a good parent,... are the results of our social conformity.

 

"That we have found the tendency to conformity in our society so strong... is a matter of concern. It raises questions about our ways of education and about the values that guide our conduct." Solomon Asch

That's why the more things we achieve the less happier we are. Because we've replaced the society  norms to our own intentions.  And this would become  a tragedy when you are an  under achiever and labelled as a 'looser', from the society point of view.

The separation between our  intention and our goals, is the separation between the  meanings  and what we do. Finding  again  the meaning and intention in our actions will cause  the harmony between what we do and what we are. Such self-awareness may not necessarily change the direction of what we do, it just turns off the auto-pilot and let you choose to guide, to the same destination or somewhere else. This is a shift from reacting to choosing.

 In unaware auto mode, you become what you do ( people may strongly identified by things they do, that even if you ask them who you are? They may reply I'm a doctor, manager, parent or unemployed!!). But in aware mode you do what you are!

Unlike the goals, which need time consuming series of  (Do's), intentions are instant experiences of inner values and strength (BE's). Goals are the places to reach and intentions are states we choose to be.

You don't need to reach at a certain point to experience what you stand for or what you choose to be.
You can have the experience of courage, abundance , wisdom, peace,  humanity, happiness ,... all through the path to your goals. That will make your achievements valuable and meaningful and will change your fails  to the opportunities to learn and go on.
 

So, the third question we need to answer when we choose to make a change in our life is why?

And the answer is our purpose to achieve the specific (SMART)  goal and goals after.

 

                               "Happiness is finding the meanings not THINGS."