It is astonishing how at one moment something can mean everything to someone and later be completely ignored. In the right time and context a person could be prepared to give up their lives for ideas like love, honor or glory and later completely dismiss them as naivety, blind obedience and trivial. Obviously what we find significant is subjective, we are all conscious of this. But how often do we stop to consider the temporality of our objectives? Every New Year’s Eve countless people make commitments that rarely last more than a month.
We make plans and commitments based on our priorities. But people are not static, they change with the world around them, their priorities change. It is not irrational to adapt to new environments. It is not irrational to abandon commitments to yourself when they’ve become meaningless. But it is irrational to believe that a current that has never taken you anywhere the hundred times before will do so this time. People are trapped in a tide. They change directions with the ebb and flow of the masses and instead of working to get somewhere, they work against themselves.
So is there a way out? I believe there is and it is setting down what is important to you and holding fast. It’s not easy. It will seem irrational at times. Others may view it as stubbornness. Perhaps instead of making resolutions, we should be writing down our priorities.
What is important to you?