A compassionate manifesto for “crushing” your goals and living your dreams.
Dear traveler, seeker, wander, goal-crusher, life-improver, be-the-best-me liver,
You have set your goals; you have your destination in sight; you are taking your first steps.
You have decided that this year will be different. You have aspired to be better, to do more, to give more. You have purified your intentions. You have let go of baggage and commitments that don’t serve your higher purpose.
You have embarked on your hero’s journey of living your best life, true to your core values and beliefs, with authenticity, humility, and service.
You must carry with you The Essential Creed of the Traveler.
1. We will not crush, annihilate, or blow through our goals. We will not dominate and beat ourselves or this world into submission. Instead, we will steadfastly walk the path, weed our gardens, and stick to our systems and healthy habits. We will have faith in the process through difficulties and ease. We will accept assistance and inspiration with grace.
2. When we go off course, we will not beat ourselves up. We will not scold; we will not call ourselves losers. We will not say, I did this one wrong think; I blew it; I might as well forget this day, this goal, this journey. No, we will forgive ourselves right away, with kindness. We will remind ourselves us the commitment we made, immediately course correct, and move forward on our path.
3. We will not ask ourselves if we are worthy of this journey. We do not have to decide if we are worthy or not. We are here, and we want to contribute. That is enough. Our job is take action along the path.
4. We will find joy in our efforts. Even when things are difficult and obstacles seem insurmountable, and even when pain enters the door, we will still find joy. Since we are living authentically in alignment with our values, our undercurrent will be steadfastness, surety, and even grace through difficulties.
5. We will stay firm in our commitments through the difficulties. We will have faith that if we persist and persevere, divine aid will come. The problems will sort themselves out one-by-one.
6. If there is no joy in our work, if it is all drudgery, if there is no ease, and only one difficulty after the next, we will consider whether or not we are on the right path. We will use discernment. We will look for the light coming up through the pain points. We will take time to reflect, adjust, and evaluate. We will examine our intentions and motivations for the task we set ourselves. Did we make it from our highest values, or have we let ourselves be highjacked by someone else’s agenda? We will abandon efforts that don’t serve or have outlived their purpose. We will be thankful for what they taught us and take our greater clarity to our next stage.
7. We will check our intentions before we commence our tasks each day. We will ask to be of service, to be used in the best way. We will not aspire for fleeting worldly gains, but trust that provisions will come our way.
8. We will take care not to feed our egos. We will avoid comparing ourselves to others. If we feel twinges of jealously, we will remind ourselves that the world is abundant and that The Infinite One has no limits. One person’s success does not mean our failure, one less chance for us. We will reject the notion of “Zero-Sum Game” and “You win means I lose.” We will remember that everyone struggles in this life even if another’s struggles are not apparent.
9. We will care for the planet. We will build the beloved community. While not being dangerously naïve, we will expect good intentions of others. We will seek first to connect to the humanity in others. We will not judge by outward appearances.
10. When we fail — and we will fail, we will take comfort knowing that failure is part of the process, that all who try to do more with their lives will fail along the way. We will be compassionate with ourselves. We will not beat ourselves up; we will not internalize feelings of worthlessness. We will take time to reassess, re-evaluate, correct ourselves where needed. We will ask for inspiration and help from The One Who Guides. We will acknowledge that every breath we take, every action we make is only with the permission of The Sustainer.
11. As we set forth on the final leg of our journey and the barrage of trials comes, we will rejoice knowing that this is a sign that we are close to achieving our mission. We will not become anxious and fearful, but excited and curious. We will remind ourselves that all these final barriers and mishaps are there to purify our intentions and sincerity and to give us humbleness. What we achieved was by the permission and will of The Most Beneficent who wishes to purify us and make the task blessed. The final fire of resistance burns away the impurities from our journey. Our tenacity through it all proves our steadfastness and allegiance to be of service.
12. We will celebrate our arrival, thank our helpers, review our journey, and learn from our mistakes. We will rest, recover, and await our next mission. And then, we will begin again.
Originally published at medium.com