In writing this article, I must admit that throughout my life I have tended more towards the approach of letting life flow and adjusting to it. Setting medium and long-term goals was not my habit, nor something that attracted me. Over time, I observed the rigor and discipline of people close to me who cling to perfectly laid plans for living their lives. I respect that, they are different personalities.
However, despite firmly believing in flowing with life, I now recognize the benefits of envisioning a better future. Imagining it brings me tranquility and peace of mind. “If you can imagine it, you can do it,” Walt Disney used to say. Therefore, today I believe in shaping the future from the present, visualizing desires as if they were already achieved achievements.
Here I present my three reasons:
- Focus and direction: Setting goals gives me a clear direction. By visualizing my desires, I know where to direct my energy and resources, making decisions aligned with my aspirations and avoiding dispersing efforts.
- Motivation and purpose: Goals give me a reason to get up every morning with enthusiasm. Pursuing something specific motivates me and provides a sense of purpose essential to my mental health.
- Personal and professional growth: The challenging vision of achieving what I want drives my development. Pursuing desires that challenge me confronts me with opportunities for learning and growth, both personal and professional.
We all know the tendency to procrastinate and the dissatisfaction that this generates. However, I block this tendency with goals derived from my great desires, visualizing them as if they were already reality.
Despite the above, I value the art of flowing with the flow. I seek to place myself at a midpoint between discipline and relaxation in the face of what life brings me. Fluency allows me to grow and adapt. The flexibility to adjust my plans is essential in a changing world. Unexpected opportunities and new circumstances open me to worlds of new possibilities that I could not have anticipated.
Flexibility does not invalidate the importance of my dreams conceived in the past as anticipation of my reality. I must be attentive to know when it is necessary to adjust goals. Adapting to new possibilities is the true art. Changing the way I see things is part of who I am. I need to be receptive to signals with more feeling than intellect, although I recognize that my thinking influences my emotions.
Today I find that flowing with the flow is a kind of liberation from a life that seems to require more discipline and rigor. This flow must be inspired by my great dreams and desires to maintain my sanity. Keeping current what makes sense to me is key, what is worth fighting for and getting up every day. My personal balance lies in having a more or less clear direction, but being flexible enough to enjoy the journey and make adjustments when necessary.
Luis Carlos Jacobsen
Organization facilitator and consultant
CEO of “Wiser Together”, organizational learning
