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If you had to take a step back from your own life for a moment and carefully examine its trajectory:
What is life/the universe/God etc. steering you towards right now? Where is the “finish line” in your life? At what point have you made it there?
The past week or so I’ve been taking a little mental reset and have been asking myself such questions.
The nature of how I operate in my work and personal life involves consistent and linear action. Day in day out — much of the same thing over and over again. You’ve likely noticed that here on SN with my posts. I am building up a big pile of evergreen content for myself and any curious bitcoiners to come back and explore down the road. It’s wonderfully satisfying and keeps me in check mentally and creatively.
But as you may imagine, the nature of my work can add up bigly, and I have to take time to decompress. And sometimes, it can feel like an especially heavy load when I consider that I don’t know where or when the finish line is coming.
And I have to be clear: I am in no state of “hoping for the finish line”. I am far far from that. I have rather only just begun running this race. Excited and hungry.
I have a clear vision of the process, but the conclusion is still rather murky. I guess I am merely musing over how my efforts all come together. How the refinement of this year for me will add up to a much greater sum than its parts, and what that will open up for me down the road.
So I am curious: For those with life a bit more figured out than I, where is the finish line for you? What do you have to do to cross it? When do you expect to reach it? Are you surpassing your own expectations, or falling short?
Have you already crossed your finish line?? What is it that got you there, if you had to identify one thing?
I don't think there is a finish line, just keep running until the light go out.
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This is a cool prompt. I imagine people think about it very differently after having kids. Our finish line is something like seeing our kids leading happy lives as adults.
On a smaller scale, though, I think I'm being steered towards producing independent content. I'm still learning the lay of the land and building relationships, but I feel like there's a possibility to carve out a niche for myself eventually.
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What’s your niche, if you don’t mind sharing?
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I'm not sure how to articulate it well. Stacker News is helping me ease into the water and gauge people's interest in the different things I like to talk about. My intention is to just keep increasing my output organically, letting market signals guide my course.
My nym is about not being overly tied to one particular approach or outlook (plus it lets me off the hook sometimes), so I am naturally going to cover a broad range of topics. The trick is doing that in a way that maintains people's interest and doesn't alienate those who don't care about some of those topics. SN territories are a great structure for that, because I can spread my posts around and only hit those who want to see it.
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Love that you wrote this. I feel the same way. I was telling @birdeye21 earlier in the year that I don’t care if I can achieve greater success if I concentrate my firepower and focus my writing on one thing. I wanna write about 4-5 topics close to my heart; I wanna be known as a multihypenate even if spreading myself too thin makes success more elusive to me.
Let’s gambatte together 💪
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On a smaller scale, though, I think I'm being steered towards producing independent content. I'm still learning the lay of the land and building relationships, but I feel like there's a possibility to carve out a niche for myself eventually.
👀 why not!
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I think it boils down to living your life in a good way, so that when you are on your deathbed, you have very few regrets.
Start at the end, so to speak.
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For me the goal of life is the creation of harmony around you. If you found that peace of mind state for yourself, you will also create harmony with your own energy. There is no other way. So to say you reached the finish line to live a life in harmony.
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Great way to look at it!
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97 sats \ 0 replies \ @KLT 22 Jan
Interesting post. I don’t know if there’s a finish line for me perse. I’m of the mindset that I need to live life one day at a time and keep things as simple as possible. But as long as my family is healthy and I have a good income to create more sats flow, I just focus on what I can do to make the world a better place by making things that connect with me personally and sharing it with the world, as well as sharing the knowledge of bitcoin education with friends and family so that we can all rise together.
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97 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fabs 22 Jan
There's no such thing as a "finish line" for humans, we always come up with something new to chase - take one's stacking-goals as an example.
I'd like to live long enough to be able to take advantage of the next big breakthroughs; maybe we will find a way to make humans immortal one day - that is, Immortal as in not dying because of cells not renewing themselves, thus theoretically being able to live for hundreds of years, or maybe through means of the necessary technical implants, turning one into a cyborg.
I'd really love to witness the age where humans turn into Gods.
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140 sats \ 1 reply \ @quark 22 Jan
There is no finish line. There is always more and more and more. So maybe just enjoy the journey and that way you can even change path and experience other things.
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Couldn't be more true, it's all about the journey, and I cant forget that. Surely still, maybe someone who's "crossed it" before has better insight into how inglorious that moment may really be!
I also kinda like to think about it as there are multiple finish lines. I discussed in the linked post that having some sort of "end goal" in mind helps me keep my actions more focused towards it. If only keep to just the journey, it's all too easy for my brain to wander about too much while Im on it!!
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When money is no longer a problem that becomes my finish line
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99 sats \ 1 reply \ @Roll 22 Jan
It depends what is the finish line ? a project, a purpose, when you arrive at the end of your life...)
i did cross the finish line (project/purpose), i was very happy/exited but quickly i had the feeling and now what!!! I felt an emptiness, sadness... And from that experience, i ve started to understand what is important is the way and not the purpose. From that moment, each time i have an purpose in my life, as much as i can, i tell to myself what is important is the way not the purpose.
But be aware, that some say that if you put purposes in your life it will always bring emotions, so is it the good way ?
Regarding the finish line, it depends of the concept of the life you have (if you believe in reincarnation or not..)
May be at last what is more important, it s to do our best and make an effort to be able to bring happiness, love and peace around us..
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But be aware, that some say that if you put purposes in your life it will always bring emotions, so is it the good way ?
Yes, how people choose to define their lives is also very interesting, and what incentives the framing of their life leads them towards…
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There should be no finish line in terms of learning, finding joy and wonder in life. As for finishing life's mission. I guess the main finish line is to raise the kiddos to be smart, strong, resilient, independent, kind and moral human beings. Once I reach that finish line, I guess the new finish line will be to help them reach their finish lines (whatever it may be for them) any way I can until I can't anymore.
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What is life/the universe/God etc. steering you towards right now?
crafts - making beautiful things with my own bare hand.
Where is the “finish line” in your life? At what point have you made it there?
maybe the day my soul free from my physical body? I don't see there's a finish line in everything tbh, as there is always room for improvement if you care enough.
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Love what you’ve already been crafting, so talented!!
True that they’re isn’t really a “finish line” for things. I suppose you can think more in terms of chapters, and decide how many you want to read!
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thanks, it's really fun to explore what our hand is capable of doing:)!
and yes, chapters or life stages are better - I want to fill "my book" full of stories and adventures. 🤓
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77 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 22 Jan
Some combination of when I can't go any farther and when I'm certain I've added several multiples more than I'll ever take from the world.
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Well that's already certain to us!!
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I think of life more in phases, with no particular finish line.
My wife has often said that she cannot imagine me just "stopping working". I will eventually transition out of my current job and into a new phase - which might be starting a new business or running a farm or digging ditches - hopefully with a bit more leisure time, but I don't imagine I will just shut down the engine.
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I think the Apostle Paul put it best
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,[a] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
If you put it in a secular way I suppose it would be about making sure you leave everything out on the field. Make sure that you are on your death bed with zero regrets. Make sure that you can give account (even to yourself/loved ones) that you did everything you could.
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Very wise. As long as you give things your best effort, and you know it, then does the outcome really matter as much?
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Honestly, right now I just want both my kids to get to elementary school so that I can resume my night outings with my friends. My love language is freedom haha
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Stay the course!! Parenting is the race of all races, crossing the "finish line" there will be a nice reward waiting for you i am sure :)
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Yes my children are my ticket to retirement, not Bitcoin haha
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You’ll have spent decades taking care of them, surely they will return the favor in your later years :) will feel much better than any big pile of retirement sats you could have
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55 sats \ 1 reply \ @nullama 22 Jan
Personal growth has no finish line.
But for me, financial growth has one. I only plan to work for money to have enough to pay my bills and have something extra for travel.
Not interested in a huge house or fancy stuff.
After I achieve that financial goal I will be able to use more time for personal growth.
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This. Good way to split it up. At a certain point money reaches its threshold of value to your life, won't get any better
There should be no finish line.
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Wake up every day and try to do things that I think would make for a “good life” or lead to a “better life.” Repeat.
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At what point do you step back and recognize “hm, life is better!”?
Or is it more so just the state of mind!
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I think the usual points in time are good for stepping back (e.g. new year and birthdays). A state of mind is a good way to describe it!
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I have lived a wonderful, fulfilling life... so much so, that the good times have outshone the bad times so much, that I forgot how bad things were at times. But, I am constantly trying new things, experiencing new things and learning how much more I do not know. There most likely isn't a finish line.
But one of my goals is when I can be like Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders... https://www.greybeardadventurer.com/bio.html
I have spent a lot of time in the outdoors for many reasons; but it was mostly because I needed to or had to. I want to be able to do just because I want to, even if it is at a ripe old age.
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Damn, Dale seems like an awesome friend to have
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6 feet under
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Do you know where your “finish line” is?
No. And it's mentally crushing.
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This is a bit philosophical and deep. Finish line? Is that where people get an amazing house, in a good location with a fabulous view and say things like "this is it, this is my resting place" ? I'm bit confused if I'm honest. Can you elaborate on what you mean by finish line?
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wondering what your definition is, not mine!
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Well, I read your post again and I think I get what you mean. We are on this earth for how long? we don't know. I just want to keep experiencing all the different seasons of life as long as I'm here and in good health. I can't say I'll ever have a "finish line". If I set out to achieve something I either accomplish it or I don't. Then I move onto the next thing I fancy doing in life. I think I'll always have something I want to do. When I get bored I change things although, admittedly, I leave it way too long sometimes to make a change!! Need to work on that! You've definitely sparked a whole cascade of thoughts. Perhaps I will write a whole blog post on it LOL But, for now, it is bed in my time zone 😆
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haha happy to have set off the spark, would love to read a blog post about it!!
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It used to be in the mall where you could purchase many different kinds of shoes.
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😂😭
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