On Goals and Milestones

Hello world!

I had a million ideas about today’s post, but after some thinking we’ll talking about milestones and bucket list items and everything in between.

I feel like most people have a number of goals they want to achieve in their lifetime; from things relatively small and unimportant to “I want to do something that matters” goals, most of us have them.

Places we want to visit, things we want to do, milestones we want to cross; everyone wants different things in life, that’s why not two bucket lists look the same. For instance, just because I want to go hot-air ballooning at some point, it doesn’t mean anyone else has to want to do so as well. And that’s ok, because we are all different.

Additionally, even the shared experiences do not have the same impact on people. Just because two people do something together, that does not automatically mean they experience the same thing.

Let’s just say I was to go hot-air ballooning with someone who’s afraid of heights (I do not know why they would agree to go in the first place, but let’s roll with it); would we be having the same experience? Absolutely not; I would be elated, they would be terrified.

What I am trying to say here, in an overly simplified manner, is that every experience is unique to every person. Everyone perceives things and reacts to a situation differently, based on who they are; their heart, thoughts, feelings, past experiences, they all play part in that. 

Have I mentioned that I love writing steams of consciousness? When I started the entry I had no idea my thoughts would be going down this road.

To be honest, the thing I had in mind to address today, despite this weird intro, was this: What happens after you achieve a goal?

Let’s make it a personal milestone, not something insignificant like hot-air ballooning, or something too significant, like winning the Nobel Prize for World Peace. Let’s say you achieve one of your personal, high-on-your-bucket-list, important, difficult-yet-not-unachievable goals; what happens then? Does anything change? Do you feel any different?

Well, basically, what happens is that at first you are happy you accomplished your goal, and then you move on to your next goal; oh, and you’ve picked up a few skills that will be probably come in handy down the road too.

You are still you, just a little more mature, a little more experienced, and a little more successful too. On that note, a little tip: don't spent too much time basking in the glory of your success, it might go to your head; just saying...

Also, what no one tells you is that, sometimes, success might not feel like success at all. There's a possibility that it will just feel like "meh". It sucks, but it can happen. 

My experience, well, it was complicated. Real talk, when I achieved my important goal, for the most part, I was confused; all this hard work, and effort, and sacrifices and I was feeling numb. Sure, I felt happy too, but that lasted for what felt like two seconds. And then I just was feeling empty; because after a very long time, I didn’t have another big thing to be working on, I was burnt-out and I didn’t know how to handle the situation. 

Don’t get me wrong, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat; I just wish I was better prepared for the moments I felt overwhelmed.

When you’re in deep waters, you can either swim or drown; I didn’t drown, so I am good.

Till next time,

M.

PS. No matter what, keep swimming!