Magic(k) in every Day life
The world of magic, okkult and spirituality is usually perceived as something which is different from our everyday life. We picture Yogis, Sadhus and Taoists who devote their lifes completely to the path of enlightment. Preferably they find some remote Spot to sit on and submerge in Meditation and generally being holy. After years and years of meditation about their inner self, they reach the Nirvana or Tao or how ever we care to call it. While this is probably a valid path, I dare say it is not the only path a human can take.
Wouldn’t the world be a strange place if the only way to enlightment and spirituality is by totally refusing to be in the world?
The Western way to enlightment was always a little different to the eastern way. While the typical Alchemist would also draw back from the everyday life of his fellow humans, he would not focus on his inner self alone, but on the great work which would take place inside himself and inside his laboratory. He would blend his special work into his path of enlightment, merging the above with the below, the inner world with the outer world.
We also find fraternities (clubs, Sororities and whatever) who draw their followers from the “normal” people within our society. The Freemasons as an example are usually working man and they strive for the Gnothi seauton in their normal everyday life.
Within these pages I will report about my way to blend magic into my normal life (and my normal life to blend into magic).
Lifestyle Magick 
The development of the self via magick may be likened to the development of the body via exercise and diet, or of the mind via education and contemplation.
To develop the body, one may attend a gym or start an exercise regimen, and adjust one’s diet and daily activities to make the body fitter and keep it so; however, beyond a certain point, one must decide what the actual objective is to be: a pursuit of greater extremes involving greater sacrifices, e.g. becoming a bodybuilder or dietary ascetic, vs. simply reaching a point of improved homeostasis, having become appreciably fitter than before in a manner which is sustainable by the lifestyle adjustments one has already adopted. In the latter case, one may even abandon the practices specifically adopted to effect change, such as losing fat and building muscle; with the desired changes having already been effected, one simply needs to maintain the desired new state through one’s daily routines without further change being necessary.
To develop the mind, one may attend classes, earn a degree via formalized course of study, read and write voluminous texts, engage in contemplation and mental challenges, etc.; however, beyond a certain point, one must decide what the actual aim of all this is to be: a pursuit of ever more arcane and specialized knowledge for its own sake regardles of utility, vs. simply reaching a point where the mind has become a precise, powerful and versatile enough tool to be of use and assistance in daily life among fellow mortals within the material world. If one has well and truly learnt what classes and texts have to teach, one no longer needs to attend those classes and read those texts. Once paths of reason and intuition have been forged through the virgin wilderness of one’s mind, those paths remain to be used again as new habits of easy thought, maintained only through the routine use of them in one’s daily living.
By now, one may appreciate the relevance of these analogies to magickal pursuits. Having conducted magickal practice to effect necessary and desired changes to oneself and one’s life, does one continue old and new practices to effect further change for its own sake, or does one reach a point of acknowledgement that the new equilibrium is acceptable and sustainable by simply conducting the new life crafted as the new self one has formed?
Firstly let me add another viewpoint to your analogies.
I practised Kung Fu for a long time. I did this along the lines of 5-6 days a week, 4-5 hours training. So I really was into this. Once I had a special class, it was tought by a Grand Master from (Red) China. He was a teacher in the red army, teaching close combat and self defence for special forces. So I had this class for a week. That guy could fight, thats for sure! But after that week I realised, that I did not(!) want to learn what he was teaching. Sure, I wanted to learn fighting, no Question. I did not at all mind his techniques or anything like that. The reason for me that I did not want to learn THIS fighting was the mindset that came with it. While I aimed at being able to defend my life no matter what, accepting thereby that a potential enemy might get hurt or die in the process of selfdefense the military fighting style demandet a different approach. Here the first aim was to kill the enemy (or making him otherwise harmless) and only the second aim was to keep yourself healthy/alive.
My conclusion is, that if you really want to be a fighter, the second approach ist the right one, BUT you better be prepared to cope with the impact on your life. I had a full week to get into that mind set and I did not want that for my life.
Why am I telling this? Because for Magick I do the same, If I do not like the direction something leads me I do not walk that path and that does happen every now and then.
To your question:
Most people I know who are seriousely investigating the topics around the heading “Magick” are not aiming anywhere. Like myself they are drawn to this area of thought (and to this worldview and lifestyle). The ultimate aim is most probable enlightenment and since that is by definition something like a conclusion, that probably answers your question. I do not know about external worldly aims since (so far) it never crossed MY mind to use magick to find love, money, friends, jobs, sex, … or whatever.