Struggle - Accomplish what you can - Articles about Psychology

Quotes by Charles J. Givens

Success with money, family, relationships, health, and careers is the ability to reach your personal objectives in the shortest time, with the least effort and with the fewest mistakes Use the losses and failures of the past as a reason for action, not inaction The goals you set for yourself and the strategies you choose become your blueprint or plan Strategies are like recipes: choose the right ingredients, mix them in the correct proportions, and you will always produce the same predictable results Achieve success in any area of life by identifying the optimum strategies and repeating them until they become habits Success requires first expending ten units of effort to produce one unit of results. Your momentum will then produce ten units of results with each unit of effort The more specific and measurable your goal, the more quickly you will be able to identify, locate, create, and implement the use of the necessary resources for its achievement To design the future effectively, you must first let go of your past

Our continued efforts to meet our goals helps us maintain our humanity.

And how do we determine our life's goals?

We certainly would not follow the lead of Don Juan. It is not worth fighting or struggling to achieve questionable goals.

Instead, we should strive to have legitimate, strong, and worthwhile life goals.

True, they may be thwarted by issues that are seemingly beyond their control. However, those who continue their struggle to achieve life goals become successes.

Some people, for example, may make desperate efforts to get married, only to be thwarted time and again. They could be frustrated, disappointed, and discouraged by their seemingly endless efforts to find a suitable spouse.

However, if their marriage is an important issue in their life - and it certainly should be - then it is wrong for them to give up, no matter how much they struggle through this difficult period of time. They should continue to persist until they do find their bashert. They should try different avenues and methods until they find the right person.

Yes, it is often frustrating and difficult to see their married friends raise children while they remain single. Some of their friends may have even reached the age of bar or bat mitzvah and they feel that they deserve the same opportunity. Some of them may have secret disappointments:

They may argue wistfully that some of their friends who are less worthy have gotten married
They feel that their own personality traits and midot are superior to those of others
They also feel that they would have been a better spouse and that it is not fair or just for others to marry

However, it is not fair for us to judge others in these issues. We would spend out time better by finding ways to overcome the perceived or real barriers to reaching the chuppah.

The same guidelines would follow for any other worthy life goal.

Achieving Your Goals

Which goals you should set and strive to achieve?

This takes deep introspection. It leads to serious questions about why G-d placed you on this earth. The results of your introspection should help you separate your important goals from those that you would just "like," "prefer," or "want" to accomplish. Your confidant will help you deal with these different levels of priority.

After you have determined why you have been placed on this earth, then you can direct your limited energies towards achieving your goals. You will have the push that you need in order to accomplish that which is necessary in order to justify your existence.

This can lead to the preparation of a serious list of real life priorities. That list is important. Nothing should stop you from achieving and fulfilling those goals. Nothing should stop you from justifying your life on this earth no matter what problems there are. Make every effort to achieve the goals that for which you were placed on this earth - no matter what skeletons you may have in your closet, and no matter what enemies you may have.

Does that mean that you will necessarily achieve all of your goals?

No.

However, your effort and determination to reach your goals will make you a better person.

Is it worth it?

Of course. There are two possibilities. Your determination and persistence may lead you to achieve your goals.

Even if you do not achieve them, you will be able to look back at your life with satisfaction after you grow old. You will realize that although you did not reach your goal, it was not because of laziness or lack of effort. You will know that you did everything that was necessary to achieve your goal. You have made the world a better place in which to live. You have achieved one of your (unwritten) goals in life.

Where do you want to go now?

Read more about accomplishments and planning for life