Without a life vision you wander in the dark

Questioning motivations, and crafting the ideal future that brings fulfillment to the journey

We have internalized goals, but never questioned them.

We want things: the big house, career, relationship, a dog or whatever it might be. Fulfillment lasts when your goals match your values, personality, and true passions. Reaching a cool-sounding goal without thinking about what comes with it can backfire. You want both the journey to your goal and reaching it to be satisfying.

Luckily, there are simple techniques to understand motivations.

What you want is not what you think

When I was a kid, I wanted to be famous.

During business school, I wanted to be the CEO of a big company. It sounded like the proper ambition within the environment of business students.

Why we have goals is often not clear. We rarely question why we want the things that we want. Following one path can lead us astray or dissatisfied. We might end up on an unfulfilling journey.

There is always some underlying motivation behind a goal.

On a first principles level, humans seek goals that align with evolutionary drives and psychological needs:

• Survival

• Reproduction

• Social Connection

• Status & Recognition

• Mastery & Competence

• Meaning & Purpose

• Autonomy & Freedom

• etc.

When you want something, a deeper drive often pushes you toward it.

What you “want” is not what you want

A different side to this is miswanting.

Miswanting is wrongly thinking something will make you happier than it actually will.

My past goals were based on what I thought I wanted. In business school, I aimed for a leadership role by 30. Now, I realize that reaching this would mean constant investor pressure and 60-hour work weeks, which don't fit the life I truly want.

You see the shiny object in a game. Without questioning what it implies, you go after it. That is what society expects. Whether or not it is congruent to the person values does not matter.

So what to do about it?

Question your goals with the 5 whys

A common problem solving technique in business is the “5 whys technique”

To understand the root cause of a problem, one ask "why" until you have identified what caused the problem:

Q: Why are we losing market share?

A: Because we are not growing as much as competitors.

Q: Why are we not growing as much as competitors?

A: Because we are not as strong in the top-growing segment.

Q: Why are we not growing in that segment?

A: Because we didn’t invest in that market.

Q. Why …

Poor example…

But anyways: this thinking directed towards motivation, allow for understanding of underlying causes of your goals.

All motivations should be treated with respect. The answers are neither right or wrong. They only serve as valuable input for understanding yourself. Next, it helps determine priorities, align with your values, and foster self-awareness.

It is very common to see that many of the goals are aimless pursuits in something superficial. When you look at it for what it is, it is not needed. Then the drive for it fades

You get the clarity in order to craft meaningful goals.

The life vision to prioritize pursuits

Businesses have a vision of their ideal state.

The vision guides the strategy. Let priorities flow. Decide what to say no to and what to say yes to.

The life’s vision is the same: A life vision is an overarching picture of an ideal future. It is more than a goal: it is about the being you want to become, what kind of values you inherit and live by and the activities your life includes.

This is a level up from: “I want to be X”. It is about understanding who you want to be to have a meaningful and fulfilling life. The common goals, such as what career to pursue follows, but it must fit into that reality.

How do you craft the Life Vision

Now it is time to craft a life vision:

1. Assessment of yourself

First step is to take time and be honest - who am I really?

Take an audit of:

• If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?

• What do you enjoy doing that you want to do more of?

• What do you do today that you want to do less of?

• What would be a big regret if you've never tried it?

• What emotional states do you want to feel?

• What are my strengths and weaknesses?

This can go much deeper as well, but it is a starting point.

Answers to these will provide hints to the elements you include in your ideal future. Understanding this will make it clearer how to live your life and the priorities that follow.

2. How does your ideal life look like

Based on the findings in step 1, how would you like to live your life:

When reflecting on your current mode or path, you might see that there are some changes that needs to be done. Are you currently pursuing career that is meaningful. Do you spend enough time with friends and family. Are you cultivating your passions or potential.

In the future, how will you live to make more time for what is important for you? How can you create your days so that they are meaningful?

3. Take action

Really simple: see how changes can be made - I will not say to much about this. It is an internal exercise

Last thoughts

Two things are important:

• Goals should be preferences, not desires. Life is always as good as it can be. Attaching to a future goal takes away from living fully in the present.

• The ideal future evolves. Defining your ideal future is a continuous process, not a one-time task. As awareness grows, your true preferences emerge, allowing for updates along the way.

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Thanks for reading - Welcome!

A couple of notes:

• Feedback: If you are reading this you are probably my friend. From a friend I appreciate good feedback. Do not hesitate to send anything

• Level 1: I am now at level 1 in this game. I’ll promise I will work hard on the skills required to level up and refine my ideas to further bring value

• Support: Your support means a lot! Whether you share, like, or just read, it helps me see tangible progress as I get the data. This motivates me, so don’t underestimate your vote in motivating me!

Thanks <3