Know Where You Want to Go in the Long Run

Brett Butler’s goal was not only to survive cancer by getting the best treatment possible, but he also wanted to get back to the game of baseball because that was where he felt most alive. Every choice he made, every step of the way, was focused on getting back onto the field of his dreams.

The more clearly you can visualize your long-term goals, the more likely you are to avoid wasting your time and energy reaching them. For example, if your goal is to spend your life working as a healer who eases people’s suffering, training to be a medical doctor might be the best way to achieve that goal—or it might leave you feeling frustrated and disillusioned. The pressures on doctors are intense in the “write-and-rip” world of the modern HMO, where they will see dozens of patients a day. Some doctors who work in that system find ways to remain emotionally connected and caring toward their patients. Others become so stressed by its demands that they become emotionally disconnected or addicted to prescription drugs to keep themselves going. There are a hundred ways to become a healer, both traditional and nontraditional. The trick is figuring out what kind of person you are and in what sort of world you would feel most comfortable and fulfilled.
There are many ways of achieving your goals once you know where you want to be in the long run. Looking down the road and clearly visualizing the work, relationship, or promotion that you really want can save you from being disappointed and wasting your energy.