You love life and know it can go by quickly. You want to make the most of it. You may have heard an elderly relative wistfully say “Oh, I wish I had learned to play the violin” or speak of some other early wish that was never fulfilled. To avoid this, sit down and make a list of things you really have a passion to learn or do and start planning to fulfill them. It is never too early. It can definitely be too late someday.
Keep a journal in which you set a goal and note your progress toward fulfilling it. Perhaps you want to climb Mount Denali. This is a daunting task. To fulfill it, you will need to start with smaller and less demanding mountain climbing efforts. You will need some instruction. You will want to find a mountain climbing group with a knowledgeable leader. It will take years, but step by step you can attain your desire to reach the summit of that great and beautiful mountain that towers over Alaska.
Whether your desire is to paint landscapes or play a favorite sport or be a public speaker, your health is important to your ability to achieve your goal. Therefore you want to learn how to keep your body well nourished and energetic. Your body is involved in success in any of these achievements.
Another aspect of maintaining physical readiness and stamina is to keep a regular sleep schedule. Studies show this is crucial to your health. But especially if your goal is a physically demanding one–such as mountain climbing–the deep sleep that restores health is essential to you. When you are young, it is tempting to fore-go adequate sleep, but this will hinder you in the long run.
Doubtless you will hear enthusiastic accounts about the personal goals and achievements of others. But though these may sound great, stop and think whether these really appeal to you or are alluring because of how others make them sound. Choose the activities that are fulfilling in themselves; things you would want to do even if no one else noticed. These are your real passions and will bring you the greatest rewards.
Stress and distraction in daily life, whether due to work or family worries, are the barriers to achieving your goals of personal development. Time is always limited. It is tempting to give up on or put off those goals. But stop and think. You will have more to offer others, whether in a job or in family life, if you pursue and achieve your personal goals. A richer life for you also becomes an enrichment for those around you. If you become a good painter, you may teach this skill to others, who will benefit from its joys just as you have. You become part of a chain of transmission through which things that nourish meaning in life are passed on from one generation to another.
So you can see that it is worthwhile pursuing your goals of personal development. Achieving them will add to your life and to the life of others.