If I give you the following 6Fs to re-arrange based on your order of priority, how would yours shape up? Here goes: fitness-finances-family-faith-future-friends. The order of your 6Fs determines if you are living a balanced life or not.

A lot depends on your value system. Your value system drives your priorities. It determines your definition of success and the role of money. We may not agree on definitions, but one thing is basic, if your doctors tell you that you will be dead in ten days, you will act different. This begs the question, Do we have to approach our death bed before we get our priorities right?

"No man on his deathbed ever said, 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'" Sen. Paul Tsongas

Do we have to look back in regret?

The foundation to our future is being laid in the present. The pursuit of any dream or goal has to be placed in context. Success has to be all round. Succeeding in one area and failing in others still amounts to failure overall. We cannot jeopardize our family life, spiritual life, health or relationships in pursuit of finances or goal. If we achieve our dreams, and look back to find our family gone, or end up in hospital or feel empty or suicidal, you begin to wonder whether it was worth the trouble.

In the heat of the pursuit of our dreams, it is easy to forget about our priorities and live our lives out of synch. It is an ongoing battle. There is a price to pay for our dreams, and we must be ready to pay the price. However, there is a limit to the price we have to pay. This depends on our priorities. Herein lie the conflicts in the pursuit of our dreams.

There are questions that others cannot answer for us. For a Christian, the priority system is pretty well spelt out: faith-family-friends-finances-fitness-future. Some may still have issues with this. In the final analysis, the decision is still up to us.

Ultimately, we have to make a conscious effort to make choices in consonance with our value system, and be ready to bear the consequences. We must not lose sight of the big picture. We need all the 6Fs intact as we breast the finish line. If we leave any one behind, we end up with a hollow victory.

If things are no longer at ease and you are experiencing any of these symptoms:

- tension in the home, the children avoid you and everyone snaps at each other
- lack of peace within, you feel hollow and empty inside
- you are always feeling tired, you wake up tired and go to bed tired
- you cannot remember the last time you exercised
- your friendships have become a distant memory

It may be time to shut down, take a deep breath and exhale. Something is wrong somewhere. If you look hard enough, you will find out where.

Sit back and take a second look at how youve been going about pursuing your dream. Admit to yourself that there is a better way. Go back to the basics, and begin again. It is possible to have the 6Fs right by you as you breast the finish line. Anything less is hollow, empty and not worth the trouble.