Source: Dall-E

Life can be complicated

But when life gets complicated it is important to remember a single equation.

A + B = C

Source: Northview Church Service
_{Note to @emreal it was a good service you might want to check it out}

And as with any equation you are given it typically requires explanation.

A = Where you are

C = Is your destination

All that is left is to solve for : B <-- How to get there.

Now that may seem like I'm oversimplifying things and I certainly am. However, when using the above equation it does force a few things.

First: You need to assess where you are at.

That may seem silly because everyone thinks they know where they are. Many people don't though. Many people are dwelling on things in the past. My son was one of them when he broke up with his girlfriend. Some people are so focused on what they don't have that they don't realize what they do. My son's ex-roommate was one of them. He was so focused on trying get money in his divorce that he lost sight of all the important things around him.

An honest evaluation of where you are, what you have, what resources you either have or can get can make a huge difference.

Second: You need to assess where you want to get to!

Again it may seem silly but so many people have no clue what they want to accomplish. Everyone says they want a good job, power, lots of money, gorgeous spouse and so on. Without an end goal though all of those things are useless. What good is a gorgeous spouse if you don't have a goal to share together? What good is money if you don't know how you should spend it? What good is power if you don't know what you will use it to accomplish?

Knowing my goals keep me grounded, give me direction, help me make decisions, and give me purpose.

Of course the real trick is knowing how to get there!

Now there a couple of acronyms that can help you with the process. You can remember to set "S.M.A.R.T. --- G.O.A.L.S."

SMART

S - Specific: Make your goals clear, well-defined, and specific.
M - Measurable: Set goals that can be measured, so you can track progress and success.
A - Achievable: Ensure your goals are realistic and attainable within your capabilities.
R - Relevant: Set goals that align with your broader objectives and are relevant to your aspirations.
T - Time-Bound: Set a specific timeframe or deadline for your goals to create a sense of urgency and accountability.

GOALS:

G - Specific Goals: Make your goals specific and well-defined.
O - Observable: Ensure your goals are observable and measurable.
A - Attainable: Set goals that are realistic and achievable.
L - Long-Term Vision: Align your goals with a long-term vision or purpose.
S - Steps and Strategies: Break down your goals into actionable steps and develop effective strategies to achieve them.

You may recognize those acronyms from a previous Hive Learner post for new initiates. That was before my time here though although I did remember the acronym 😉

For me I try to set the GOALS for the long term and try to be SMART in the steps and strategies to attain them. Together they make up the B in my equation up above.

But why am I going on and on about this?

For two reasons: First-- @fredaig asked

Second -- #HiveLearners has a post topic for self denial.

So let me tell you a bit about my goals for Hive..... I'm pretty sure that they are not what anyone else on Hive is working towards.

I should thank some people first: To @kronias for making the author of the week post.
@kronias/hive-learners-author-of-the-week-27

And to
@lightpen
@nkemakonam89
@gwajnberg
for their support in voting.

and congratulations to @jenthoughts for also being voted as co winner (I think).

I mention them because I really appreciate their support and for being chosen as a weekly winner. Even though recognition isn't my main focus on Hive (sorry guys)

But I got distracted.

What are my goals on Hive?

Well if you ask most people there will be some common goals on Hive

1) Make money!

Everyone likes making crypto, right?

2) Make friends!

Some people don't care much about money but friends are great too, right?

3) Power for change!

Have enough staked HP and you can make a difference on the blockchain and possibly much further. Some people want to wield the power!

4) Self Promotion!

Some people want to promote their singing or music techniques. Some people to promote their artwork. Others their video creation skills. Still others their viewpoints on the world or society. Lots of things to promote out there.

But when I told @fredaig I would never become a whale on the platform because its not my goal I got a bewildered reply. Why not?

Because I know my A + B = C

My "A" was absolutely nothing. I started with only my Hive username and ZERO coin. No friends. No contacts. Just some ideas to write about.

MY "B" is to write the best content I can on a regular basis. Invest what crypto I receive into HBD or staked HP... Also to learn about frugal living and get ideas on how to spend less.

My "C" is to be an inspiration to people who have nothing. My goal is to stake enough HBD to support ONE person in a sustainable lifestyle. To learn about ways to lead a frugal lifestyle so I don't have to stake so much. To learn about what is the minimum requirement for a comfortable life.

Why will I never be a whale?

Right now that goal is to make somewhere between 5,000 - 10,000 HBD and get a yearly income of 1,000 - 2,000 HBD. Then outline a lifestyle that would allow someone to live an OK (albeit frugal) lifestyle on that amount. Then find someone to give the money to in return for them blogging about what that lifestyle is like.

The reason?

HOPE

So many poor people have no hope. They have no roadmap to a better life. Faced with a world that gives them no value and no pathway to a better future.

If I can take a HIVE account with nothing and turn it into a decent net zero lifestyle I can hopefully be a source of inspiration to others. To show that there IS hope and there IS a way up. Not only for someone who has nothing but also for a world where we aren't polluting and ravaging nature.

Sure it is a boost to my ego when I get voted author of the week.
Sure I like getting more followers and upvotes
Sure I like receiving those nice boosts from @OCD or @lazy-panda
Sure I like making new friends (looking at you @monica-ene, @jjmusa2004 and the rest of the #Frugal crew)

But those aren't my goals. My one overarching goal is to make a light of hope showing that Hive is a possible way to financial self sufficiency and a better life. To provide a possible pathway for others less fortunate than myself.

But how does that relate to the Self-Denial post topic?

I'm not truly sure that it does.

I don't truly believe in Self-Denial. I believe in making wise choices.

Source: Pixabay

There are many paths that a person can take... but if you look in the picture above only one of them leads to the house. If your destination is the house there is only one right choice to make. Another other choice is taking you somewhere you don't want to go!

A firm goal makes for easy decisions!

Example: I love my wife and my goal is to be married until I die.

When I have choices to make in life I'll choose

not to flirt with other women,
not to spend all my time on myself
to clean up the house without being asked
Look for ways I can be a good husband

Example: I have a goal to retire early and enjoy my senior years

When I have choices to make in life I'll choose

not to spend on things I don't need
not to get into long term debt
to invest in income producing assets (rather than capital gain producing assets) as income helps fund retirement
to protect my health by not over eating and by exercising regularly.

Now it would be quite possible in saying that I'm practicing Self-Denial in my future goals on Hive as I honestly have no desire to achieve anything for myself on Hive. My goals are to help someone I may not even have met yet.

I don't personally think I'd call it Self Denial though. I am absolutely making my own choices, on a path I choose, for the Goal I wish. It just happens that my Goal isn't ultimately for me

Looking at my life there are many things I could call "Self Denial".

Getting up at 4:45am to wake up my son?
Not eating Ice Cream while watching movies with my wife?
Not buying a nice, expensive Tesla and E-Bike,
Walking a dog that I never even wanted

But I'd rather think that I'm just pursuing other goals.

I want to help my son succeed and will do anything to help his progress
I want to be healthy when I get older so I can travel and see the world. Being fat makes that much harder.
I want to retire early and more expenses mean I have to work that much harder.
I love my wife and will help her look after the dog while she works and tries to achieve her goals.

I'm just making decisions to get to my "C" and not getting distracted by other things along the way.

Thanks for reading and feel free to disagree or leave comments

#hl-exclusive #hl-w70e3