Survive And Thrive: Transform your desert into dessert by passionately pursuing your life goal
Survive And Thrive: Transform your desert into dessert by passionately pursuing your life goal each and every day
Hugh Holger writes of his experiences gained from crossing the Sahara desert five times, in Timothy Freke’s book ‘The Way Of The Desert’.
He recounts that ‘You need to know what you are doing. One small fault with the truck and you’re finished. But if you prepare properly and take precautions it is safer than you might think. Despite this, each year a number of people who try to make the crossing will perish in the attempt. The most common reason is following mirages. If they just trusted the compass they would be fine, but seeing what they take to be habitation or an oasis they drive sometimes miles off course and that can be fatal.’
I live in a vast continent that has a far greater expanse of desert than lush, vegetated areas. In my travels I have, with my own eyes, seen the ghostly images of white, bleached bones and dusty plains with sparse vegetation, dry waterholes and river beds that once flowed freely with life-giving water. For when a drought strikes, the ground can become so dry that it shrinks and cracks.
In order to survive the harshness of the desert or a drought, there are two essential ingredients that will bring you through successfully to the other side.
The first is to refuse to be deceived by mirages.
The second is to pay close attention to your compass, and only your compass.
As I consider the mystery of the desert, I am drawn to think that in some ways it represents the human life.
From the very day we are born, the human life stretches out in front of us like a desert. Unscathed and smoothed by the incessant desert winds, the desert awaits to receive our first steps that will imprint our own footprints into the surface of the shifting sands of time.
But as one step overtakes the next step, our major focus will need to be to get to the other side of the desert alive and well. That is, to have lived a life to its fullest potential and to its greatest capacity.
Be the one who thrives in the desert rather than the many who will be claimed and buried in the heat of the same.
DON’T JUST SURVIVE, LEARN TO THRIVE
A. REFUSE TO BE DECEIVED BY MIRAGES
There are many things that can distract us from our life mission.
Remember the ones who perished in the desert. They disregarded their guide and pursued ‘what appeared to be’ rather than sticking with their original plan.
This is why it is so important to translate our thoughts for our life into a written plan.
Goals need to be written.
Mission statements need to be written.
Business plans need to be written.
Life goals need to be written.
Daily, weekly and monthly tasks need to be written.
Why?
Because life will constantly throw up before us different events and circumstances that will interrupt the flow of our initial intentions.
Also, our memory is constantly assaulted with an incredible amount of information, that even though stored, many of us will forget many of the minute details.
This requires focus, and by developing that focus you won’t be drawn off track from your life goal.
The daily acquisiton and fine-tuning of good habits will also allow you to resist the urge and the temptation to try the latest fad and dabble with the latest gimmick.
You will in fact become solid in your personality and in your character. And although on the surface everything around you is in a constant state of change, you will continue to forge ahead in the pursuit and the acquisition of your goals and your dreams, unhindered.
TO ENCOMPASS YOUR FUTURE USE A COMPASS
B. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO YOUR COMPASS
A compass is a device for determining directions. The simplest form of the compass is a magnetic needle that turns. The needle is mounted on a pivot so that it can move freely and it points in the direction of the magnetic north and south poles.
A simple pocket compass helps a person find their way when they are lost, and when there are no landmarks to guide them. All they need to know is the direction in which they should be going.
If they must walk west to reach the nearest town, they go in the direction at right angles to the left end of the needle which points north.
A life lived with a clear sense of purpose, that is directed by a life goal, is a life lived under the guidance of a compass.
However, live without this knowledge firmly in place, within your heart and mind, and you are an accident waiting to happen. You will live your life aimlessly and ultimately wind up on some shifting sand hill in the middle of nowhere, chasing one mirage after another with no real sense of clarity or direction.
Don’t delay. Find your compass. Focus on where you want to take your life. Attach a plan to that goal and then set forward in the confidence that you have all the ability that is required to pursue your dreams and achieve them.
Motivational: Transform your desert into dessert by passionately pursuing your life goal each and every day.
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