Dream
It's 6 PM and I am still at the office. Office is so empty today because my colleagues all went home to celebrate Diwali.
Anyways, earlier today I got an interesting phone call from my friend, so I decided to finish this long overdue note.
So what is this note about?
Trying to make it not cheesy, let me just say that this note is about my perspective on living with a goal.
I will start by saying that, I am not that great of a person. I have lost my goals and purpose countless times along the way already. Still, the journey is exciting.
By any definitions, I am still a small fry. I personally know people around my age who have become self-made millionaires, so if you still consider my view valuable, read on.
A couple months ago, during the Vòng Tay Nước Mỹ event, I went to a panel of successful Vietnamese professionals. There were a couple interesting points in what they considered success.
Expanding on this topic, one of the panelists mentioned being successful in your career didn't mean being happy in life. One person mentioned the concept of intrinsic happiness - the basic things that make us happy, or in other words, what do we derive happiness from?
Suppose we lose everything else, do we still feel happy?
Another friend of mine later added that, our intrinsic happiness should be something that other people cannot take away from us. I liked this idea.
All fine and nice, but it was a little overwhelming for young guys/girls to absorb all the wisdom from so many people all at once. For me during the panel, I was just validating their ideas with my own definition of "happiness."
To me, it has always boiled down to the question of "What do I really want?"
If I know what I really want in life, by achieving it, I achieve happiness and satisfaction.
Not just asking this question in the far future, the question can be asked in the short term, too. I constantly ask my self things like "what do I want for dinner today?" or "what do I want to do this weekend? Should I rest this weekend or go out and explore a new part of New York?"
By realizing what you want in life, there are a couple of benefits:
- You can start asking what the IMMEDIATE action you can take to guide you to your goal.
- What is the shortest path you can take to get to your goal?
Sometimes the things that get you started can be very little. For example, if you want to begin your career in finance, you can start by making a list of your friends who are knowledgeable in the subject, and invite them to dinner.
- You can start asking yourself how much you would sacrifice to achieve what you believe in.
Will you be able to sacrifice eating cakes if what you want is a lean body? (I know this example is stupid).
Once what-you-want becomes a DESIRE, will you be able to throw away everything to achieve it at all cost?
- You don't feel jealous of other people's success, because after all, your dream is unique, and your situation is unique. No point in comparing yourself to others.
Being young, you gotta have a philosophy - a core value. If you are a tree, your roots must reach deep and unmovable, so that you believe in yourself, and you don't get rattled by the people who think they are better than you.
- You are less likely to regret your decisions later. You don't want to wake up one day to realize that all you have been doing was just a waste of time. So, please please keep asking and validating what you really want to do in your life.
For example, you don't want to do an office job for 20 years just to one day wake up and realize that what you really want to do is open your own business.
For me, knowing what I wanted was the very first step, but what if you don't know what the hell you want in life? :)))
My friend gave me this interesting question. For now, my answer to him is that, first start by visualising the person you want to become in a couple years.
Do you see yourself sitting in an office doing a job related to numbers, or do you see yourself constantly out and about meeting business partners? Do you have a mentor who you want to follow the footsteps? Do you have an image you want to become?
My dear friends, do you know what? It's so pleasant to live with a dream. You go about life everyday knowing that every action, and every decision you make will contribute to your master plan in the future.
Little by little you are putting the puzzles together to build a unique piece of art.
Just make sure to rest appropriately to avoid burning out and keep your passion aflame.
Anyways, earlier today I got an interesting phone call from my friend, so I decided to finish this long overdue note.
So what is this note about?
Trying to make it not cheesy, let me just say that this note is about my perspective on living with a goal.
I will start by saying that, I am not that great of a person. I have lost my goals and purpose countless times along the way already. Still, the journey is exciting.
By any definitions, I am still a small fry. I personally know people around my age who have become self-made millionaires, so if you still consider my view valuable, read on.
A couple months ago, during the Vòng Tay Nước Mỹ event, I went to a panel of successful Vietnamese professionals. There were a couple interesting points in what they considered success.
Expanding on this topic, one of the panelists mentioned being successful in your career didn't mean being happy in life. One person mentioned the concept of intrinsic happiness - the basic things that make us happy, or in other words, what do we derive happiness from?
Suppose we lose everything else, do we still feel happy?
Another friend of mine later added that, our intrinsic happiness should be something that other people cannot take away from us. I liked this idea.
All fine and nice, but it was a little overwhelming for young guys/girls to absorb all the wisdom from so many people all at once. For me during the panel, I was just validating their ideas with my own definition of "happiness."
To me, it has always boiled down to the question of "What do I really want?"
If I know what I really want in life, by achieving it, I achieve happiness and satisfaction.
Not just asking this question in the far future, the question can be asked in the short term, too. I constantly ask my self things like "what do I want for dinner today?" or "what do I want to do this weekend? Should I rest this weekend or go out and explore a new part of New York?"
By realizing what you want in life, there are a couple of benefits:
- You can start asking what the IMMEDIATE action you can take to guide you to your goal.
- What is the shortest path you can take to get to your goal?
Sometimes the things that get you started can be very little. For example, if you want to begin your career in finance, you can start by making a list of your friends who are knowledgeable in the subject, and invite them to dinner.
- You can start asking yourself how much you would sacrifice to achieve what you believe in.
Will you be able to sacrifice eating cakes if what you want is a lean body? (I know this example is stupid).
Once what-you-want becomes a DESIRE, will you be able to throw away everything to achieve it at all cost?
- You don't feel jealous of other people's success, because after all, your dream is unique, and your situation is unique. No point in comparing yourself to others.
Being young, you gotta have a philosophy - a core value. If you are a tree, your roots must reach deep and unmovable, so that you believe in yourself, and you don't get rattled by the people who think they are better than you.
- You are less likely to regret your decisions later. You don't want to wake up one day to realize that all you have been doing was just a waste of time. So, please please keep asking and validating what you really want to do in your life.
For example, you don't want to do an office job for 20 years just to one day wake up and realize that what you really want to do is open your own business.
For me, knowing what I wanted was the very first step, but what if you don't know what the hell you want in life? :)))
My friend gave me this interesting question. For now, my answer to him is that, first start by visualising the person you want to become in a couple years.
Do you see yourself sitting in an office doing a job related to numbers, or do you see yourself constantly out and about meeting business partners? Do you have a mentor who you want to follow the footsteps? Do you have an image you want to become?
My dear friends, do you know what? It's so pleasant to live with a dream. You go about life everyday knowing that every action, and every decision you make will contribute to your master plan in the future.
Little by little you are putting the puzzles together to build a unique piece of art.
Just make sure to rest appropriately to avoid burning out and keep your passion aflame.
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