Date: 29 November 2020

What do I want to achieve in the year 2021? Since the year 2018, I gave myself 3 goals per year. And, I spend my best time (in the morning) to achieve those goals. So far, this approach is very effective in achieving goals. But, when I set those goals, I didn’t think deep enough. How the goals can fit into the greater purpose of life? What is the greater purpose of life? What I want my life looks like?

Frankly speaking, I have no answers to those questions. Even I have, it doesn’t mean the answers can’t be changed. What I can do is to be absolutely honest to myself at this moment and answer those questions based on the current context. I also want to free myself from a lot of constraints, be it financial status, physical conditions, or responsibilities.

Basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have Love you actually do love you.

Warren Buffett

In a presentation at The University of Georgia, Warren Buffett said, “When you’re nearing your end of life, your only measure of success should be the number of people you want to have love you actually do love you”. Indeed, the happiest moments in life are those that I felt loved by someone I care. Spending quality time with families and friends. Recognition from parents when I do well in school. Small gifts received. I think receiving love from people you want to have love you is the ultimate desire or the basic constituent of happiness.

Ultimately, man should not ask what the Meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.

Viktor Frankl

I want to be doing what I love every day. Turn out what you love to do every day will not be playing computer games, partying with friends, or eating your favourite food since you soon feel bored. Yes, doing those things can give you short term happiness. I think I am seeking for meaning in what I doing. But what are the sources of meaning? Viktor Frankl told us, through his experience in a concentration camp, there are 3 possible sources for meaning: work, by doing something significant; love, by caring for another person, and courage during difficult times. That’s how I can find meanings and therefore love what I am doing every day.

He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.

Arabian proverb

A healthy body gives you the energy to love someone you cared, to work on something significant, and to enjoy life. If we treat those as a task of life, being in a good shape simply means being responsible to life.

• People I want to have loved me actually do love me
• Found The meaning of life
• Good Health

That is how I want my life looks like right now. When I read this again 10 years later, I may be laughing myself. But, that’s what I have now: 25 years of life experience. I feel like I didn’t elaborate enough on the three points. That’s not because I don’t want to, rather I am not capable to do so. I hope when I get older and more mature, I can write more.

Now, I need to go back to goals for 2021. Those goals should fit into the greater picture of life mentioned above.

My first goal is to find the work that I feel significant. I mentioned in the reflection on the year 2020 that I don’t find significant meaning in my daytime job. I am not sure why I am working 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. I think I definitely don’t want to do that for the next 40, 50 years. I need to change and find meanings in my work. Indeed, it is a rather vague goal. How am I going to measure whether I found one? I think the only way is, to be honest to myself.

My second goal is to run 10K in under an hour (pacing 6min/km). That’s related to “Good Health”. This year (2020), I tried to run 8k with colleagues and discovered that my health conditions deteriorate a lot compared with what I know about my health conditions. I felt surprised that I need to stop multiple times and my pacing was more than 9min/km. Although I improved after a few run, now my pacing is 6:53min/km, I feel like I need to work harder.

My third goal is to develop meaningful relationships and Deepen Existing ones. A meaningful relationship is something that helps you grow, encourage you and is there for you. And that’s something needs to build. I have no idea how to achieve that.

Unlike the past few years, the goal of 2021 is vague. Nonetheless, I will try to come up with actionable steps. Since 2 out of the 3 goals are hard to measure and related to the emotional part of our brain, I think having a journal to record how I feel is a possible way (But I am not sure haha).

Here is the 3 goals for 2021:

• Find the work that I feel significant
• Run 10k under an hour
• Develop meaningful relationships and deepen existing ones.

Done! Wish everyone a happy, healthy, and meaningful 2021!

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