Lifetime - Accomplish - Articles about Psychology

Life
is no brief candle
to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch
which I have got hold of
for the moment.
I want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before handing it on to future generations
- George Bernard Shaw

Many older people look back at their lives with disappointment. They would have liked to have been able to achieve or complete various goals, but circumstances no longer make it possible.

All too often we hear people say with frustration, "Well, that's one more thing that I won't accomplish in my lifetime." They will not be able to contribute their knowledge or abillities to mankind because they were too busy doing other things which seemed more important at the time.

This sad situation could have been avoided. A counselor could have met with the person earlier in life and discussed what he wanted to accomplish. He could then have discussed the best ways to achieve the most important things.

Procedure

The counselor could help the client divide his goals into categories:

Realistic or unrealistic
Achievable or not achievable
Long or short term

This discussion should consider other facts:

Nobody can tell how long he will live
Other forces may arise, and they may be beyond his control

In some cases it may be advisable to ask which things he would be most sorry about accomplishing if he were to die the next day. If the issues are considered in such a brutally strong manner then the person is forced to make difficult choices and think about the answers. He can then arrange the issues that should be handled in his lifetime based upon his abilities. He can prioritize them into first, second, and last in importance.

These priorities are important in other areas as well. It is very helpful to work together with a counselor or a confidant in order to be able to determine the best priorities.

Read more about accomplishments and planning for life