In light of recent events, I’ve been thinking constantly about my goals, life ambitions, accomplishments I will achieve, companies I will help build and the stories I’ll tell to my children and grandchildren. I think about what drives and motivates me on a regular basis, and evaluate if my current actions reflect those future goals. Just as a clerk at grocery store will take inventory on products missing from the shelf, we should all encourage one another to do to same with our lives. If you identify that you’re missing something, make immediate changes to receive more of that specific need. A very cool tech startup in NYC wants to help you develop, track, and achieve your goals in 365 days or less is called Accompl.sh. This is something that I feel everyone could benefit from; and you should signup for an account today and try it out. It’s like having your own personal life coach!
When I speak about goals I’m reminded of one of my favorite keynote speeches from Steve Jobs at the Stanford Commencement Ceremony in 2005. My absolute favorite excerpt is when he speaks so passionately about death and our purpose while we’re alive. I wrote a blog post once about living out your Dash and still to this day incorporate Steve’s ideologies into my daily routine.
”No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs
that fork is anticipated or foreseen from afar, while other times a series of fortunate or unfortunate events occur leaving you with that difficult but exciting choice. It’s crucial that we each take some time in our lives to slow down and realize what is important in our life and if that resides on the path you wish to travel. Businesses check their inventory daily but too many times we go days, or even weeks before sitting down to think of what we are grateful for. This simple life exercise is necessary for intellectual human development and growth. Just like a grocery store would never remain in business without taking inventory – you’ll never achieve happiness and find your passion in life without taking inventory on your life.
