{"id":1061,"date":"2009-09-18T09:00:43","date_gmt":"2009-09-18T17:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=1061"},"modified":"2013-09-27T08:29:15","modified_gmt":"2013-09-27T16:29:15","slug":"are-all-your-goals-materialistic-ones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/are-all-your-goals-materialistic-ones\/","title":{"rendered":"Are All Your Goals Materialistic Ones?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image courtesy of LittleStar<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re reading Pick the Brain, it\u2019s a fair bet that you have goals. You might even have written them down. Perhaps you read them every day, or have them pinned to a notice-board.<\/p>\n

How many of those goals are materialistic ones? How many are focus on a dollar amount or a particular purchase?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been reading a book by Jack Canfield recently, and while I\u2019ve found plenty of good advice in it, I\u2019ve also been a little disturbed at times by his seeming equation of \u201csuccess\u201d with money and material goods:<\/p>\n

Here are the life purpose statements of some of my friends. It is important to note that they have all become self-made millionaires through the fulfilment of their life purpose.<\/p>\n

(Jack Canfield, The Success Principles<\/a>, pg30 in UK edition)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common theme on blogs and forums, too: I\u2019ve come across a number of people who are creating \u201cvision boards\u201d for goals that all about having expensive items \u2013 from watches to yachts \u2013 and expensive experiences.<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m not here to get judgmental. Perhaps it\u2019s true that money really is going to bring happiness for those people. But if you\u2019re finding it hard to pursue your goals, if you find that focusing on that stupendous salary or that huge house doesn\u2019t seem to touch you deep down, or if your goals seem to be draining you rather than giving you energy, then ask …<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Behind the Money?<\/h2>\n

We never really want money itself.<\/strong> We want whatever it is that we believe money will bring us.<\/strong> For many people, this is \u201cfreedom\u201d … but it\u2019s worth asking yourself what price you\u2019re paying for that. I was interested in time coach Mark Forster\u2019s explanation of why he abandoned his goal of earning a million dollars:<\/p>\n

So did I have to wait until I had earned a million dollars before I could have freedom? Weren\u2019t there things I could achieve in the shorter term, or perhaps even immediately, which would have the same effect? I began to realise that the goal of a million dollars was in itself a burden. In order to reach freedom, I was proposing to enslave myself to a huge goal for an indefinite period of time.<\/p>\n

(Mark Forster<\/a>, How to Make Your Dreams Come True, p115 \u2013 currently out of print)<\/p>\n

Even if your goals are objects or experiences, what\u2019s the actual motivation behind them? Do you want a yacht to \u201cprove that you\u2019ve made it\u201d? Is your desire for a big house really a desire for security? Do you want an expensive wardrobe so that you can attract the partner of your dreams?<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve figured out what your real<\/em><\/strong> goal or value is, it\u2019s worth taking a long hard look at whether your current actions are getting you any closer.<\/strong> If what you really want is to meet a life partner, are your working hours making that hard? Will your kids really be happier if they have the latest and greatest toys each Christmas \u2013 or if you come home from work before bedtime once in a while?<\/p>\n

Alex Blackwell wrote movingly about what he\u2019d do differently if he could have his time as a father over again:<\/p>\n

I would stay at the dinner table 15 minutes longer and not feel compelled to rush to my office and dig into my work. I would use those 15 minutes to ask one additional question about [my daughter\u2019s] day, to provide the nurturing she wanted and to offer my help in any matter my daughter requested.<\/p>\n

(Alex Blackwell, Confessions from a Recovering Father<\/a>, The BridgeMaker)<\/p>\n

What Are You Being Sold?<\/h2>\n

Marketers and advertisers play on our emotions<\/a>. Rather than selling us a watch, a car or a holiday, they sell us a particular feeling \u2013 perhaps even succeeding in getting to the heart of what we really <\/em>want. Next time you see an advert and think \u201cI want that\u201d, ask yourself what feeling or emotion you\u2019re being sold.<\/strong> Security? Freedom? Escape from concerns?<\/p>\n

Our culture is increasingly materialistic. Just pick up a magazine, watch television or catch a movie and you\u2019ll see that. Even personal development gurus tell us to expect \u201cabundance\u201d and to \u201craise our financial thermostat\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s often worth taking a step back. Ask yourself whether a new gadget or item will really<\/em> make you happy. If not … what will? More leisure time, the freedom to be creative, deeper relationships? That\u2019s<\/em> what you should be pursuing.<\/p>\n

Don’t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Related Articles:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Why Unmaterialistic People Should Want To Get Rich<\/a><\/p>\n

The Beauty of Occasional Abundance<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re reading Pick the Brain, it\u2019s a fair bet that you have goals. You might even have written them down. Perhaps you read them every day, or have them pinned to a notice-board.<\/p>\n

How many of those goals are materialistic ones? How many are focus on a dollar amount or a particular purchase? Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[6],"tags":[59,4650,91,90,4631,66,89,4629,92],"yoast_head":"\nAre All Your Goals Materialistic Ones?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re reading Pick the Brain, it\u2019s a fair bet that you have goals. You might even have written them down. Perhaps you read them every day, or have them pinned to a notice-board. How many of those goals are materialistic ones? 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