self-improvement

Something to look forward to

1 Point Contributor

Why we need something to look forward to:

Beyond regular duties of life, achieving goals, we need something that we truly enjoy just for the sake of doing it. We have talked about simplifying life to a North Star Goal – a guiding principle that helps us navigate our life challenges and stay focused. We all have many priorities to juggle for in the life. Yet, even with this clarity, life can feel overwhelming. Our minds constantly seek happiness: sometimes through success at work, sometimes through harmony at home. But what happens when neither is going as planned? How do we keep going when life doesn’t cooperate with our expectations? The answer lies in finding something that nourishes us from within — something that keeps us grounded and joyful, no matter the external circumstances.

How to convince your mind to do it: Identifying what we like is an important step. But it is not enough. The harder part is allowing ourselves to spend time on it — without guilt. For example, you know that at work you need more engagement and at home, you have tasks to be done. In such a situation, how do you convince yourself to spend time on your interest? For me, it’s not easy. I may end up doing work first. To convince myself to spend time on an interest or hobby, I try relating it directly to my work productivity. For example, we are convinced that time spent on physical fitness is not a waste of time as it provides us with energy to do what we want to do in a day. Similarly, we need mental “fitness” time that generates happy hormones so that we can stay motivated to continue living the life we imagined.

How to find what we like: I think we need to find our interest where we feel joy of doing it for the sake of doing it. Some examples of such interest could be reading books, writing articles, curiosity about finances, spiritual seeking inclination, or anything that seems effortless. To find out a task you enjoy, I think the simpler way is to ask yourself:

  1. If you have enough money for your retirement and other family needs, what would you like to do in your free time?
  2. What is a task in that you lose the track of time? In other words, what is the task in that you forget that you are the doer?

Or, try other creative ways to find out what you like. Help me learn what you came up with.

When to do to it in the week: Once we are convinced to spend time on our identified activities, we need to find time to do it. It won’t be easy. Mind may tempt us to skip it for the day or the week. To find time, we have to ruthlessly prioritize. For example:

  1. Daily meditation is equally important as daily physical fitness. Allocate time for it everyday as if it’s an essential sleep routine.
  2. Plan for a half day on a weekend in a way that doesn’t impact family or other commitments. It could be Saturday mornings or Sunday evenings.

Once you identify it, stick to it as we stick to an important work meeting.

Summary: We briefly discussed the value of spending time on a hobby, how to find out what we like, and when to do it in the week. Looking forward to the next steps of implementing it.

Finding Clarity and Taking Action in Life

1 Point Contributor

Before discussing actions, let’s explore why clarity is essential. Without it, the mind wanders, creating restlessness, confusion, and frustration. When we know where we are going and how far we’ve come, the journey feels more like a known road—easier to navigate than an unknown one.

To bring clarity, defining a personal vision is crucial. Achieving this vision requires understanding both your inner journey and outer journey.

It seems that everyone wants to be their best, yet something often stops us from acting. Even after defining a vision, areas, and goals, obstacles remain. For example, I define my vision in one word: Integration. My inner growth focuses on meditation, while outer growth is guided by steps in Fitness, Family, and Finance. Yet, what keeps us from taking action?

Common Obstacles:

  • Lack of Self-Trust: Not trusting our ability to achieve goals can paralyze action. Trust develops through action, and even small wins help build confidence.
  • Lack of Hope and Disinterest: Hopelessness or apathy can block motivation. Not seeing a bright future or lacking interest in growth can feed laziness or inaction.
  • Unhappiness: General dissatisfaction in life can contribute to disinterest.
  • Missing Knowledge or Mentors: Not knowing how to navigate a path or lacking guidance can make progress difficult.

How to Navigate Negative Emotions:

Overcoming these challenges is not easy. It requires courage to slowly build interest and motivation. Some strategies include:

  1. Find a Bigger Cause: Acting for society or a higher purpose can create meaning.
  2. Acknowledge Negative Emotions: Recognize what is holding you back.
  3. Take Small Actions: Focus on manageable steps. For example, instead of mastering an entire subject, start with one topic.
  4. Celebrate Every Win: Recognize progress, no matter how small.
  5. Enjoy the Process: Do tasks for the sake of doing them, with interest and self-expression. Detach from results—the outcome often follows naturally.

Recommended Books to Build Hope and Faith:

  • The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
  • Atomic Habits by James Clear
  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Clarity combined with consistent small actions allows us to overcome hesitation and move steadily toward our goals.

How to Simplify Your Life: Key Steps

1 Point Contributor3 Comments

We live in a well-connected world where life changes faster than ever. Every day, life becomes more complex, with increasing expectations at work, in personal life, and in society. Many of us also want more results, happiness, and productivity. We want to achieve more in the limited 24 hours we have each day.

At work, there is a constant need to learn and execute. For example, if you’re a computer programmer, you must continuously improve your development skills. The same applies to any role in technology. As we advance in our careers, we are expected to acquire higher-level skills, such as understanding the company’s overall technical architecture. Technologies evolve rapidly, while businesses continuously innovate to remain competitive.

In personal life, we face expectations from family, friends, and society. For instance, as a parent of a 3-year-old, you may want to spend quality time with your child. If you cannot, you might feel guilty. Similarly, societal expectations—like participating in social causes—can add pressure. Beyond external demands, many of us hold high standards for ourselves. We want to be productive and increase our self-worth.

So how can we manage life with so many expectations, needs, and desires? A first step is to define your focus areas, goals, actions, and learn to avoid distractions.

Define Your Focus Areas

Decide what truly matters to live a wholehearted life. Start by listing everything you want to do. Over time, group them into broader focus areas that cover all aspects of life. Clear focus areas help you prioritize and say no to things that don’t align with your core goals.

Examples of focus areas:

  • Inner Growth: This defines who you are, what you want to do in life, and how you will do it. It involves understanding your personal mission, vision, and values. For instance, if your core value is service, your goal is to contribute to others and add value to their lives. Think of Inner Growth as the base of a tripod — the foundation supporting everything else.
  • Fitness: Includes physical health, mental well-being, and a balanced diet. Without fitness, you cannot fully engage in your desired activities. Fitness is the first leg of the tripod.
  • Family & Friends: Support from and to loved ones. Humans are social beings, and having a support system is essential. This forms the second leg of the tripod.
  • Finance: Planning for financial needs is critical. Money is a means to live purposefully, not an end itself. In the tripod analogy, this is the third leg. Financial planning involves leveraging your skills to contribute meaningfully while securing your future.

Blend Focus Areas When Possible

Whenever you can, blend focus areas for a more integrated life. For example, if your Inner Growth emphasizes service, try to serve through work, family, and fitness.

Example: If you have a family business teaching yoga, you can:

  • Spend quality time together as a family (Family)
  • Contribute to society by teaching yoga (Inner Growth / Community)
  • Earn a meaningful living (Finance)
  • Stay fit while practicing yoga (Fitness)

Define Goals

Once focus areas are defined, set goals for each: lifetime, 5-year, 1-year, 1-month, 1-week, and daily goals.

Example for Finance:

  • Lifetime: Estimate total financial needs, including retirement, kids’ education, vacations, and housing.
  • 5-Year: Identify upcoming expenses and plan how to earn and save to meet them. Adjust strategies if necessary.
  • 1-Year: Break the 5-year roadmap into actionable yearly targets.
  • 1-Month / 1-Week / 1-Day: Plan specific actions to achieve short-term and long-term goals.

Plan Actions with a Schedule

Translate goals into actionable steps and schedule them.

Example weekly allocation for focus areas:

  • Inner Growth: 15 minutes of meditation daily, plus reflection throughout the day. On weekends, dedicate more time to Inner Growth activities such as reading, visiting meaningful places, or self-discovery exercises.
  • Fitness: 30 minutes daily, following weekly CDC guidelines — 150 minutes of moderate activity plus 2 days of muscle strengthening.
  • Family & Friends: 2 hours daily with family, weekly calls or visits with extended family and friends.
  • Finance / Work: Focused work time, skill improvement, and relationship-building.

Plan for Unplanned and Ad-Hoc Needs

Life is unpredictable. Reserve a few hours weekly for unplanned tasks. For ad-hoc or exceptional tasks (like a week-long course), accept that you cannot “find” extra time in a regular week. Adjust your schedule, take time off, or delegate other responsibilities to accommodate it.

Avoid Distractions

Desires and external demands can pull you away from focus. Ask yourself:

  • Does this align with my focus areas and goals?
  • Does it help me live according to my mission, vision, and core values?

Examples:

  • Money / Wealth: Focus on earning what you need, not chasing excess for ego.
  • Fame / Recognition: Focus on contribution rather than social media validation.
  • Respect / Influence: Focus on creating an environment of mutual respect rather than personal prestige.

Learn to say no to tasks or demands that do not align with your focus areas. Understanding your mind, body, and ego can help manage distractions, comparisons, and wandering thoughts.

What’s Next

Simplifying life is a skill that takes time and practice. Clarity allows you to plan tasks that are achievable within your limited lifetime. Decide what’s important, act deliberately, reflect on your journey, and seek feedback from others. Inner Growth, combined with planning, reflection, and continuous self-discovery, helps you live a more intentional, productive, and fulfilling life.