I’m no Fat Bastard: Are personal goals the cure for the economy?
In a time of economic recession, it seems to be politically correct to table your ambitions in an effort to show gratitude for your past accomplishments and your present status in life. It’s not uncommon for me to talk to someone here in the United States that isn’t grateful for their current job in the mist of record unemployment. I think that is great.
On the other hand, when expressing my desire to pursue a better jobs or a bigger dream, I’m labeled ungrateful for my current position. This is horrible. Are we really saying that during tough times on a national level we should give up on our personal dreams of reaching our full potential?
What if we inspired more people to want more out of life during a recession? Better relationships, better education, better family time, or a better lifestyle. How valuable are those dream? Think about it. If the world is already in a recession, encouraging people to dream less and be satified only creates a larger recession. Demand for products and services are what drive the economy. So if we lower demand on the most basic level (our dreams), aren’t we in affect pouring gasoline on the fires of recession raging in the economy?
Wanting more doesn’t mean that I’m ungrateful for what I have; it means that I want more than I already have. I know my potential and my current accomplishments are just the result of what I could do yesterday. And those experiences have put me in a position to improve my results going forward. It’s important to always be seeking to have your full potential manifest itself daily, while being grateful for the opportunity go after it.
More is never a bad thing when it comes to bettering yourself, your relationships, your experiences, your knowledge, your wealth, and your impact on the world. Quite frankly, I think that the person who says they have enough is being selfish by not sharing his full potential with the world around him.
Want more today. Do more tomorrow.
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Wanting more out of your career or life should be perfectly acceptable. Just the basic want to move to a higher position creates opportunities for those below you in company hierarchy. I think most of us have come across someone that is content or satisfied in a position. This usually has the negative effect of stalling others in their own careers. In effect, You are absolutely correct that it’s selfish to be content.
Of course you’re right to want to better yourself. I’m in the process of writing up about how well I’ve done in accomplishing my goals for 2010 and although I’m pretty satisfied with what I’ve achieved, there’s much more I could’ve done. The best things I’ve done this year are things I didn’t even consider in January – I think people need to be prepared to change with the times to make sure they stay ahead.
Having said that, I’m still going to make a list of things to do for 2011. I’m just not quite sure what. Suggestions? http://oliveris.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/looking-for-suggestions/