Securing a definite goal in life is what makes you to be ‘a born-again’ in terms of reviving your abilities and aspirations. But the issue is that we often confuse our goals with those of our desires and day-dreams. Another related issue is that how to achieve a goal that is able to be comprehensive, universalistic, achievable, free from greed and lust and must be the source of certainty and thus is capable of enriching the peace of mind. So goalsetting isn’t a hasty job. So preparing you about your goal s on this stage of the training is just to invite you to start thinking on your goal and not to finalize it. The assumption is that on this stage, after gaining new awareness of your beliefs, desires and intentions you would be in a better position to come up with a better quality judgment on the question of your goal in life.
Another issue is to prepare the list of priorities: How to order your preferences as per your genuine aspirations? It is to this question of preferences that becomes a criterion of success or failure in one’s life. So the Holy Quran (Al Zariyaat (79) tells that whosoever rebels and prefers to the life of this world, Hell will be his abode. Unless one isn’t able to know exactly and clearly about his goal, one cannot order the list of priorities in a fruitful manner.
Exercise
Before setting your goal, ask following questions to yourself
In the light of the status and position of human beings in the universe, what might be the purpose of life?
Did you ever face any unusual or extraordinary circumstances in your life which threatened the sources upon which your needs and wants rests?
If not, think about the possible occurrence of such emergencies in life and your expected response in tackling such emergencies?
Just try to calculate how much importance you give to your faith in God in tackling such emergencies.
Now go on to gauge the interconnection between your perceived role of God in managing such emergencies and what you thought as your goal in life. The assumption is that a person’s faith in God has a direct influence on his goal in life.
Use your abilities to chalk out a goal in life in the light of the belief that God alone is there, knowing, listening and watching each and every action of you and one day, you are sure to meet God in the hope of the rewards of the deeds you did for the sake of the grace of God.
Use your abilities to chalk out a goal in life in the light of the belief that God alone is there, knowing, listening and watching each and every action of you and one day, you are sure to meet God in the hope of the rewards of the deeds you did for the sake of the grace of God.