We all have limited time before we finally kick the bucket. Is this time too short for any real significance or is it long enough? These are some fundamental things that many philosophical minds have thought about since, well, the beginning of time. Another important question that we have to ask is why do most people never get to live their dreams?
The study of why humans fail is nothing new. A wise old Roman philosopher known as “Seneca the younger” wrote about this topic 2000 years ago! He discovered 8 reasons why people are generally unsuccessful. I believe these are quite accurate, even today! I’d like to briefly share these reasons.
Typical reasons why humans do not reach their dreams
- Greedy activity
- Dedication to useless tasks
- Drinking/drugs
- Laziness
- Worrying what other people (will) think of you
- Self-imposed servitude to thankless people (e.g. one-sided relationships)
- Pursuing other people’s money (making someone else rich) or worrying about your own money too much
- Going after no fixed goal
Do any of these seem familiar? I believe that the 8th point is the greatest reason why people typically don’t achieve success. People tend to “drift” around, get carried away by politics/news/sport and continue along with what everyone else is doing.
I have heard people tell all kinds of stories about something that they would like to do (or achieve), but almost all of them don’t actually do something about it. Few start to chase their dreams. Even fewer commit once they've started and soon stop chasing. Many people have told me they just don’t have time to chase their dreams. False. Almost nobody ever has time. You have to make time.
Many people have told me they just don’t have time to chase their dreams. False. Almost nobody ever has time. You have to make time.There could be no simpler recipe to get to your dreams:
- Decide what is important to you.
- Set a fixed goal and commit to chasing it.
- Do it. And do it. And do it until you have reached your goal.
Don’t just follow along. Don’t be like most of the people in this world. Decide what is important to you and go for it! You might just succeed. :)
JSYK: I shot the post image from inside a Toyota Hilux with my Nikon DSLR the other day. /nobigdeal
Recommended book: Seneca on the shortness of life
Gawie, I genuinely think that many people catch themselves in the fine print of dreams. We all know the little part of the quote by Ann Landers, "Rose coloured glasses are never made in bifocals." But she finished that quote off with, "Nobody wants to read the small print of dreams." John Maxwell then said that the fine print of dreams says:
ReplyDelete"The journey will take longer than you hoped.
The obstacles will be more numerous than you believed.
The disappointments will be greater than you expected.
The lows will be lower than you imagined.
The price will be higher than you anticipated."
I guess that ties in a little to why people aren't successful, but I also think that is why they don't "do it, and do it, and do it, do it, do it....I've got a feeling... Yeah, I'm getting carried aways.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject, Petrus! I agree that disappointment/failure weighs more heavily on people than we might expect. Oh, and to be honest, I've never heard that quote from Ann Landers... :)
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