Tomorrow Is Another Day

I recently spoke to a group of people about goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. As I pondered deeply on this important topic, in preparation for what I was about to say, a few thoughts came to mind, which I feel sharing with my very few readers.

Before I do that, though, I wish to convey my strong belief that goals and resolutions are important and cannot be discarded as an annual exercise doomed to be frustrated only a few weeks after they have been set. There are many reasons why we need to set goals. Let me share at least two of them before I delve into the core of my message.

First of all, setting goals is an important strategic exercise. Even if we did not pursue our goals or actively work on but a very few, the actual planning part teaches us the ability to think of the important and to explore possibilities that otherwise, due to the whirlwind of daily life, we would never think about. In addition, we truly need our “me” time to think about ourselves, who we are and what we wish to pursue.

Secondly, we also need to think about the why – the big question. Having a bigger purpose and striving to reach for it, provides balance and potential inner equilibrium that will keep us grounded in a world that is becoming more and more confused and confusing – a world full of cacophony that tends to frustrate and anger. Just take a look at the plethora of comments on social media to see what I am talking about. In addition, recent studies have highlighted that 40% of the content on the Internet is fake (including the information that it is provided on a variety of topics), and that number is alarmingly increasing.

Having said all that, and knowing there are more benefits to goal setting than the two I highlighted here, the major issue with failing to see goals to their completion is that we complicate our lives by trying to do everything at once: after all we are the product of a society that teaches the “I-want-it-and-I-want-it-now” mentality. This is a big mistake and in thinking of what to tell my audience a few days ago I came up with a few thoughts that I hope may help you in the coming year.

• Do What You Can: if your goal is to lose weight, you cannot expect to change eating habits that have developed over a number of years in a few days. Choose the one thing that will make an initial impact on your life and do it well, and then, when you are comfortable and secure in your accomplishment, move to something else. For instance, if you have not been physically active for a long time, try to walk ten minutes a day for a while and then, when you feel confident, increase the time gradually and eventually you will be able to do thirty minutes a day. In fact, I promise you that by doing so, you will feel a burning desire to go out and walk every day: the benefit is not only physical but mental and emotional as well.

• Lift Where You Stand: a few years ago, Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught of the power of the “Lift Where You Stand” principle. He told the following story: “Some years ago in our meetinghouse in Darmstadt, Germany, a group of brethren was asked to move a grand piano from the chapel to the adjoining cultural hall, where it was needed for a musical event. None were professional movers, and the task of getting that gravity-friendly instrument through the chapel and into the cultural hall seemed nearly impossible. Everybody knew that this task required not only physical strength but also careful coordination. There were plenty of ideas, but not one could keep the piano balanced correctly. They repositioned the brethren by strength, height, and age over and over again—nothing worked. As they stood around the piano, uncertain of what to do next, a good friend of mine, Hanno Luschin, spoke up. He said, “Brethren, stand close together and lift where you stand.” It seemed too simple. Nevertheless, each lifted where he stood, and the piano rose from the ground and moved into the cultural hall as if on its own power. That was the answer to the challenge. They merely needed to stand close together and lift where they stood.”

The essence of this principle is that sometimes we need to be humble enough to accept the fact that: a) my strength is what it is at this point of my life and that is all I can use; and b) sometimes I need others to help.

• Take Small Steps: As the road to hell is paved with thousands of good intentions, so the road to failure is paved with the thought that we can move the big rock now and easily. The reality is that we cannot move a big rock by sheer elbow oil, or at least until we have developed the strength that is equal to moving that rock. Before we get to that point, we need to do many small things that will prepare us to do the big thing. We acquire knowledge of things overtime, precept upon precept, and not all at once. This reminds me of the principle of harvest: we plant a seed waiting and knowing that if we take care of it, it will eventually produce a wonderful fruit for us to enjoy. So it is for everything in life.

Now, we all agree that life is not a smooth ride and that there are challenges and obstacles along the way, but don’t get discouraged: do what you can, lift where you stand and take small steps, and even if you do not accomplish all of your goals, you will be a better person in the end and feel some peace within yourself.
Have a great 2019!