What should I do if it is too late to achieve my goal? Should I still work hard for it?

This question tells something about the dichotomy (a split) in the psyche of the questioner. There is a goal that the questioner really wants to achieve and is willing to work hard towards its attainment but something within him is informing him that it’s already too late to even try.

And this is a fantastic question because it is not just about a particular person or his individual goal it is actually a representative of the human condition in general, it is a glimpse into the root cause of all the psychological suffering humans undergo.

The root cause being the “split in psyche”; our capacity to empower two mutually contradictory ideas simultaneously. Here too the questioner is experiencing the struggle because of the same “split in psyche”. If one looks impartially into this question then he/she would find only two valid scenarios.

Scenario 1. The goal is extremely important to the questioner; in that case early or late are meaningless only the persuasion of the goal makes sense.

Scenario 2. The goal was a time bound phenomenon and it actually is too late now; in that case there is nothing to discuss, the idea has to be dropped altogether.

But either ways the mind would not allow the questioner to rest

In scenario 1 when the questioner would make the efforts to attain his goal the mind would repeatedly pull him down by reminding him that it’s too late now, that even if he were to succeed at achieving his goal it would mean nothing now since it’s too late.

In scenario 2 the mind would not allow the questioner to rest with the fact that “Yes its already too late”, the mind will repeatedly attack him for his inaction towards the situation even though late and the questioner seems to be stuck in scenario 2 because he asks “What should I do? Should I still work hard for it?”

Let us remember that “In a decade from now we would most regret the things we didn’t do and not the things we did and failed at”.

So dear friend the advice is not about doing or not doing it’s about 2 things.

1. Sealing the “split in psyche” and empowering only one thought process, preferably the one that is creative, positive, supportive and productive instead of the cynical and incredulous ones. It would allow us to be at peace with whatever choices we make in life.

2. Going all the way, if you have to pursue it my friend then you must go all the way, spend every bit of energy left in you upon your goal, burn your bridges of return and never look back while in the pursuit of your goal; if you call this attitude as ‘Hard work’ then be it so but this attitude is the only way to pursue anything that is of great value and fulfilling purpose in life.

This approach can be used in any situation in our lives as a two step choice making process.

1. Siding with the creative, positive, supportive and productive aspect of the thought process in any life situation.

2. Then going all the way with this positive thought process in an unwavering manner in our life situation, viewing our lives and acting in them through the lens of this positive thought process.

It would empower the expression of a more positive life, one that is tranquil, creative and confident.