Have you ever stopped to think what you’d like your life to look like? What kind of job you want to have? What relationships? I don’t mean thought about it in passing, in a kind of, ‘Oh that would be nice’ way but really thought about what you want.
On autopilot
It’s the oddest sensation. You get into your car, or begin walking somewhere, but when you arrive at your destination you haven’t a clue how you actually got there. It’s like a sort of autopilot that takes over and guides you on your journey without you being aware of your direction until you actually get there. All that’s really happened is you’ve zoned out, your mind has been somewhere else and you’ve not been paying attention. Many times the worst thing that can happen is you end up somewhere you didn’t intend to go and have to retrace your route to get to where you meant to be, but what if you couldn’t retrace your steps?
Stop and think
If you’ve never stopped to consider where you want your life to lead you, what you want it to look like or what your desired destination is, you may well wake up one day in a place you never intended to be, without the vaguest idea how your life ended up looking the way it does. Your choices today are starting you on a path towards your future. So whether by design or by neglect, you can decide what your life will look like in years to come. It’s up to you to take responsibility and ownership of the life God has given you. But how do you make sure you are on the track you want to be on? What determines your course? Here are a few questions that may help you decide if you are on the right path:
- Is what is important to you now lining up with where you want to be?
If it’s important that every month you stick to your budget and you put money aside in a savings account and you want to have financial control, then you’re on the right track. On the other hand, if you’re happily spending beyond your means but you’re hoping to be in a strong financial position later, you may need to reconsider your approach. Similarly if you want to be healthy in mid-life, but aren’t worried about eating right and keeping active while you’re young, you’re going to be disappointed. - Who are you walking the journey with?
The people we surround ourselves with say a lot about who we are and what we are allowing to influence us. If you want stability but your friends are all about living for the moment you’ll find that your goals will be at conflict with their life approach. Pick your running mates carefully, they have more influence than you may realise. Either your goals will suffer or your friendship will. - Are you willing to sacrifice something today to get where you want to be tomorrow?
Many things that are worth having take work and sacrifice. If you want a great job, you may need to study more. If you want a strong marriage and healthy family life you’ll need to give time to that over other things that could take your attention. You can’t have a beautiful garden if you’re not interested in getting your hands dirty and pulling some weeds.We have just one life and by being intentional and aware we can achieve so much. God has given us the ability to have dreams and hopes for our future so it’s up to us to make the most of the time we have been given.