Goals

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. ♥”