Goals
I feel that any time you want to do something; you
do (accomplish) it. I’m writing
this in the broadest form of a statement but when you think about it, you can
achieve some remarkable things when you eliminate yourself as a barrier.
“The most important thing about a goal is having
one.” Geoffrey Abert
Dream big! Your dreams
develop into goals, and when you write them down your chances of success
increase considerably. Goal setting is remarkably powerful. I dare you to try
it (only if you want to be successful). I write mine down for the day and week
as soon as I sit at my desk. My yearly goals are kept in my wallet so I can
keep reflecting on them. I also write them on something obnoxious and put them
on my desk.
On the first day of our
new year, I ask everyone else at work to write them down as well. What they
write them on depends on our yearly theme. For instance, one year we had bricks
and another year we had sea shells. I coach my daughter’s softball team, and we
ask the girls to write them on a softball and keep them in their gloves so they
have to look at them.
Each year, before the
start of school, we have a leadership camp for students. We have the kids
reflect on their goals for the new school year then write them on magnets. The
magnets are hung on the inside of their lockers before the start of school.
Goal setting becomes a
mindset. Success becomes a mindset. However, a plan of action goes into effect
after you write down your goal. That’s where some people get lost. What do you
need to do to accomplish your goal? This could take training, professional
development, or coaching but any worthwhile goal will take a commitment. Your
commitment might be as simple as creating a time to do homework or spending a
night watching a movie with your family. It might be hard like changing your
personality or getting an advanced college degree. The most important component
of goal setting is to get started.
Whatever the degree of
difficulty, your goal will take self-communication (upcoming section). How you
define success or happiness will be different than another person’s view of
life. My paradigm is positioned on the number of smiles I see on the people
around me.
And how
do you know if it matters? Oh, you’ll know. There’s that little voice in the
back of your head called your conscience. It’s almost always right. Do a self
check. Does this goal make me or the people around me a better person? There,
you answered your own question, more self-communication.
“Here is my plan for what looks like a
very busy year...when I wake up in the morning, before my feet hit the floor, I
plan on thinking of three things that I am thankful for and three things I want
to get accomplished on that day...just three. I obviously am thankful for so much
more and plan on doing so much more. But if I can just take that one minute to
gain clarity and perspective, I think I will be able to tackle just about
anything with a smile on my face and joy enough to share!”
“So, on day one, I stuck to my plan.
However, I was still feeling just slightly overwhelmed at the enormity of a new
school year. And then a friend sent me a silly message that literally made me
laugh out loud. I still have that smile on my face as an exclamation point on
the love of friends and family that fills my days and nights. With that care,
with that support that we all have if we look for it, every challenge becomes
just another hurdle...some are the low ones, some are the high ones that will
trip us at times. But there are always people who will be there to lift us up
and take us forward. On this day, I am very grateful for all of them, for all
of you. ♥”
