one of my goals

[jrtom]

is to conduct my life in such a way that I don't feel the need to make excuses.

(I am so very, very far from making this a reality. Sometimes I feel like I'm excuse-driven.)

Comments

Intentional living

[fdmts.livejournal.com]

At this point I would settle for "living my life as I intend to, rather than accidentally."

Once I verify that I can actually *steer* the car, I'll decide on a destination.

Re: Intentional living

[jrtom.livejournal.com]

"Step 0: Remove hand from flame." :)

(I don't expect to ever completely achieve the goal I stated. But I think that it's a good thing to aspire to.)

On another tack: do you really think that you live your life _accidentally_ (randomness), or are you just buffeted by a host of circumstances that are difficult to anticipate, measure, or compensate for (chaos)?

Re: Intentional living

[fdmts.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was talking about you. I'm already perfect. :)

It's a combination of factors, as with just about everything else. If I can get "habits that I don't like about myself" down to 5% ... and "accomplishing difficult and worthwhile goals" up to about 20% ... I would probably be satisfied.

Re: Intentional living

[jrtom.livejournal.com]

I think it's in the nature of the human experience that it doesn't matter what I get those percentages to, I'll always be at least somewhat dissatisfied. (If I get close enough to the goal, my criteria will change.) Perhaps it's sort of a logistic curve. :)

Re: Intentional living

[fdmts.livejournal.com]

I think it's in the nature of the human experience that it doesn't matter what I get those percentages to, I'll always be at least somewhat dissatisfied. (If I get close enough to the goal, my criteria will change.) Perhaps it's sort of a logistic curve. :)

It's possible to adjust your own perceptions of what makes you feel happy and satisfied. If you really believe (like I do,) that we're never going to actually be perfect ... then perhaps you should start working towards being happy where you are.

Re: Intentional living

[jrtom.livejournal.com]

It's possible to adjust your own perceptions of what makes you feel happy and satisfied.

Absolutely; that's related to my "if I get close enough..." statement. And I think that a certain amount of such adjustment is necessary to stay sane.

That said, I think that it's (a) good to always be at least a bit dissatisfied with the way that things are--or, if you prefer, to always be trying to make things better...and (b) good to have at least a couple of Big Picture Goals that you'll never completely finish.

YMMV, of course.

Re: Intentional living

[fdmts.livejournal.com]

That said, I think that it's (a) good to always be at least a bit dissatisfied with the way that things are--or, if you prefer, to always be trying to make things better...and (b) good to have at least a couple of Big Picture Goals that you'll never completely finish.

That's why I try to always have a hobby that I'm bad at. Keeps me humble and on the fun and interesting portion of the learning curve. Right now it's judo.

Of course, one can be quite productive without being miserable. Whether one *must* suffer for their art ... (is art defined as "work" for which you suffer?) ... this is the stuff of philosophy.

All philosophies fall down at the corner cases. If they didn't, we would call them "science."