What is your ultimate goal in life?

What is your ultimate goal in life?

I can remember two times in my life when I seriously asked my self the question “What are my plans for the future?”

The first time occurred about a year after high school when I decided I wanted to be an electrical engineer. I had been working as an apprentice electrician for many months and had several contacts with an engineer and this impression led me to decide to be an engineer.

I planned several proximate goals that were necessary to reach my goal of becoming an engineer. I had to go into the army so that I could go to school on the GI Bill and then I had to complete my college engineering education.

The second time that I seriously thought about a proximate goal occurred about 15 years into my career when I pondered just what I wanted for a long term goal for my self.

Life is filled with proximate goals and the decision of just what means is best followed to achieve those particular goals. Now I am pondering what my ultimate goal is. I suspect that I have always had some kind of unconscious ultimate goal but it was one that I had not consciously and seriously thought about nor consciously desired.

“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffer the loss of his soul?”

I was raised as a Catholic and taught by nuns; this question was often in the fore front of much of what the nuns taught me. I suspect that this was pretty much what most Christians, Jews, and Muslims were taught. It appears that the three major religions, and perhaps most all religions, taught that the ultimate goal for all men, women, and children must be “save your soul above all else”.

Have we mixed a very dangerous cocktail here because we have developed a technology that places great power into the hands of ordinary people; many, if not most, of whom have as their ultimate goal the “saving” of their soul rather than the saving of life on this planet?

Isn’t it easy to see why many people find that their ultimate goal in life, i.e. to save their soul, fits quite satisfactorily with the ultimate desire for eternal life? Isn’t it easy to see how such individuals might find that using WMDs is not the worst thing they might do if it will help them save their soul and have eternal life?

Can our species last much longer when we have such a dangerous cocktail ready mixed for instant drinking?

People are too focused on the future and aren't as conscious of what they are doing in the present, in the now. More people would be happy if they lived day to day with most aspects of their life, and save the planning for the most critical things. Too many invest in "future happiness" while foregoing present happiness.

Seriously, I have always found major goals and plans to be luxuries that I couldn't afford. I'm usually fully engaged in how to get through today.

My major goal? The founding of a fellowship in my community which aids and benefits all who decide to give it a shot. This is actually in the process of happening, as we just acquired our 501(c)(3).

EgoffTib said:

My major goal? The founding of a fellowship in my community which aids and benefits all who decide to give it a shot. This is actually in the process of happening, as we just acquired our 501(c)(3).

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It sounds like Franklin's Junto.

coberst said:

What is your ultimate goal in life?

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To be the sort of person that, when I die, folks will send sympathy cards to Satan. :mrgreen:

To live, to love, to matter.

Oftencold said:

Seriously, I have always found major goals and plans to be luxuries that I couldn't afford. I'm usually fully engaged in how to get through today.

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If I didn't have major goals and grand plans, I wouldn't be able to get through my every day life.

To be happy and to see others do the same.

To remain sober for one year and then go on the bender to bend all time.

Either that or win a Nobel Prize for literature.

Don't laugh, Pablo Neruda got one.

My goals in life are simple: Cherish the people I love, and leave the world a better place than I found it. On a daily basis, embrace joy.

That's about it.

Catz Part Deux said:

. On a daily basis, embrace joy.

That's about it.

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Fair enough, what was the joy you embraced today?

Oftencold said:

It sounds like Franklin's Junto.

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Similar, though this one would be more spiritually based. The gentleman who is heading this endeavor is a believer that all religions have some common threads of truth and goodness in them. This leads to his believe that God, Allah, Vishnu, The Great White Spirit, etc. are all the same being/energy/source. It's essentially a fellowship that welcomes spiritual discussion and the sharing of spiritual views.

coberst said:

What is your ultimate goal in life?

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I had a plan at one point...then my wife left...now I'm just picking up the pieces and trying to mitigate the damage to my kids.

Jerry said:

I had a plan at one point...then my wife left...now I'm just picking up the pieces and trying to mitigate the damage to my kids.

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That's life. It's always rough when life throws you some curveballs. I've had some good friends and family pass away recently and it's a bit rough to stay positive, though I do my best. Good luck.

Orius said:

People are too focused on the future and aren't as conscious of what they are doing in the present, in the now. More people would be happy if they lived day to day with most aspects of their life, and save the planning for the most critical things. Too many invest in "future happiness" while foregoing present happiness.

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this iis true.ther world is very evil.i just want t o survive for today.

JW Frogen said:

Fair enough, what was the joy you embraced today?

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Beating the snot out of a stupid person on here.

Reminiscing about some of my favorite political blogs, back in the olden days.

Being told by a co-worker that I looked "Schwingalicious" today.

Talking on the phone to my boyfriend, who told me I look "Schwingalicious" every day.

Delighting in the fact that I am head over heels stupid in love.

Eating some really good potage parmentier (potato soup - French version).

Finishing Julia/Julie (book) late last night.

To finish my nursing degree, finish raising my third child, then take this show on the road. I plan to work for an international NGO in the health care field.

I don't know. I have OCD which has just about crippled me socially and mentally. I mean I'm completly sane but it just takes up so much of my day and is more stressful than being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I wish I could just turn off my brain for at least one minute of everyday. And no, I am not a germaphob. There are many different types of OCD which I imagine would surprise many of you as the germaphobes are the only ones who hollywood seem to be focused on.

Anyways, my main goal in life is to live forever. So far, so good.:shock:




"Life passes most people by while they're making grand plans for it."
-Blow the movie (I think?)

coberst said:

What is your ultimate goal in life?

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To be a veteran, a teacher, an author, an entrepreneur, and a statesman.

Yes, Yes, Yes.

Destroying the Christian Civilization, obviously.

Korimyr the Rat said:

If I didn't have major goals and grand plans, I wouldn't be able to get through my every day life.

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I admie that.

For me though Life has pounded that trait right out of me. In my own life, I consider hope a detestible weakness. I get through my days the way a stone does, and with about as much satisfaction.

Oddly, I don't get invited to many social functions.

Apocalypse said:

Destroying the Christian Civilization, obviously.

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Damn Jooz. I knew it.

coberst said:

What is your ultimate goal in life?

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To discover the ultimate goal of life.