The Tribune

By MICHELLE MILLER

EVERY archer recognises the need to identify the target long before sending forth his arrow. No aeroplane leaves the runway without having a flight plan that includes its destination.

Having an aim is the chief ingredient in any life empowerment strategy. Do you know what are you aiming for?

Everything that you do or fail to do depends on what you are aiming for. Without aim your life becomes like a piece driftwood on the open seas.

James Allen said, “Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.”

There is no question that life, if it is to be lived fully, must be directed with a bold sense of purpose. At the same time, if you don’t choose where you want to go, you will end up somewhere. And in such instances ‘ending up’ is often on the shallow end of the dream pool with little personal satisfaction.

Living an empowered life requires an aim. You will not ‘end up’ empowered. It must be the result of taking specific action one step at a time. Life is active. Nothing stays the same. Everything changes.

More than this, your life literally moves when you move; it follows the rhythm that you give your attention or aim towards.

Example, the person who gives attention to unlimited consumption of alcohol invariably finds themselves in the dark crevices of life where alcoholics resides. Their life produced the result their primary aim.

You see, you are the archer in your own life. You set the target, you take the aim and you release the arrows of your attention. As such, you live the result of whatever your arrows hit whether you want it or not. The challenge here is that many are imprisoned by high level of aimlessness; drifting from one disempowering experience to another. Let’s be clear, you will not drift into an empowered state of being. Living an empowered life is the result of deliberate action.

Moreover, drifting by nature demands no specific action or direction. And not having a clear sense direction or purpose reduces your confidence.

This I find to be very true when driving on major US interstates like the I-95. With so many lanes and hundreds of vehicles all moving at crazy speeds, I find that my driving confidence is at much higher when I know exactly where I’m going than when I’m not clear about my direction or destination. Your life is no different. You become more empowered when you know what you are aiming for. Make up your mind to rise above the habit of aimlessness by putting your attention towards achieving something specific.

Remember, drifting leads to doubt, doubt leads to distrust, distrust leads to fear. To live fearfully is to live aimlessly.

To aim is to aspire, to set your sights on or to move with intention; it is not a small thing.

Most people aim at nothing and hit it with amazing accuracy. If you don’t know what you really want for your life it becomes very difficult to know when you get it.

Leader to leader, recognise that you are the chief archer in your life. Clarify what you are aiming for. Know what you want, where you are going and why you are going in that direction.

You have the power to live a purpose-driven life. Make today the day that you set higher aim to live with significance and purpose!

• What do you think? Questions and comments can be sent to e-mail coaching242@yahoo.com or call 429-6770, visit www.michellemmiller.com or send mail to PO Box CB-13060.

Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach.