Head or heart...

I am goal oriented. Goals motivate and give me direction. The big thing in goal setting the last ten years or so has been the "life plan" (for lack of a better term). Its not about your business goals, or educational goals, or personal goals; it's about your life...your ideal life style...your dreams...I employ a business consultant...He calls himself a "coach"...whatever...When I bring a major issue to this consultant here is what he asks me. "Do you see your ideal life including this change?" I usually reply, "I don't know..." I think I frustrate him.
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Ah yes, actually I've tried this approach to life, and quickly found it to be insufficient. Some good questions are being addressed; but they don't go far enough.

The life planners contend you can have your dream life if you cultivate the right beliefs, thoughts, and attitudes. Combine that with enough determination, motivation, and focus, and poof...the ideal life...your dreams come true...Success, fame, fortune, wealth, happiness, and perfect relationships with perfect people...Awesome... :-)

The problem is two fold. First, this is, at the end of the day, a self centered approach to life. Self centeredness always leads to trouble. I can personally attest to this. (Hell, I could write a book about it.) In my own life, every time I approach things with a self centered perspective, it blows up...no exceptions...its just a matter of time. The hook is that self centeredness is satisfying for awhile. At the end of the day it is not...Being content and thankful are more important, and more satisfying in the long run...Now, for what it's worth, the life planners do include thankfulness, and contentment in their "life plan" model; however, they are not central ideas.
Second, beliefs, attitudes, and thoughts (which are largely determined by ourselves) do not determine the outcome of our life...What does? I want to argue that our heart does...Yeah...Our "heart"...it determines the direction, consequence, and results of our life...Hmmm.

Please hear me out.
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It is the heart, not the head that matters. Prov. 3 reads..."Guard your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life."
Interesting...

So what is the "heart"? The heart seems to be similar to the soul. IDK if the terms are interchangeable or not...let's say not...they are just closely related.
The heart (according to a complication of definitions) includes thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs (like the life planners). However, in addition it includes emotions, as well as our personality, and life experiences (esp. the formative ones). These we have little or no control over.

At the last, maybe we look outside ourselves, and stop chasing a dream life. Instead we work on personal contentment; influence what we can..and the rest we trust to outside forces that we don't control...

IDK, I said the "life planners" don't go far enough in their questions, and approach. Does this "heart" source go far enough? To basically look outside self, be thankful, and demonstrate faith? I'm not so sure. Maybe the solution is more radical, even disturbing. Could it be as crazy sounding as..."We have to give up our life to gain it"?

Hmmm.

Where have I heard that?
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And, what does that look like? How does it flesh out?
We have an object lesson in the recorded life of Christ, yes...But what does it look like in modern life in America? I'm just thinking out loud here, that's all. Its something to think about, though...again just speaking for myself.

If you read this far, thanks for bearing with me. This is not particularly profound or anything...But typing it out in a blog no one reads (except my mom sometimes...(Hi mom!) and a couple others, I know)...helps it solidify in the old cranium...lol