We hear this all the time: Write down your goals.
Yet, many of us believe that if we have our ideas, our wants and goals – implanted in our mind -that we are really going to have the structured plan to achieve them.
As I was contemplating on the topic of goal setting I imagined running a marathon.
Ever run a marathon? Well, I have… and
can you imagine running a 25 mile marathon and not having a finish line? … I wouldn’t be sitting here sharing my thoughts, I’d still be running ‘endlessly’ awaiting to cross the line with every quarter mile. Or worse yet, I would have tired out and quit because of the mere exhaustion of the endless journey without a final purpose or victory dance.
Yet, that IS what an unwritten goal is like, an endless frustrating undefined journey.
As I look back at some of my accomplishments, I reached many of my goals because at some point I sat down and wrote down on paper what I wanted to do. (I may add that… I’ve never kept an elaborate goal journal. Every New Years Eve I use a 3×5 card and jot down things I would like to accomplish…and a few notes on how I intend to get started, and a statement about how I will feel achieving my goal).
I’ve noticed that the ‘things’ that didn’t manifest in my life was due to my lack of clearly define action plan.
I’ve learned that the size of the goal does not matter… what matters is having the ‘map’ that guides you in taking that – very first small step.
Writing things down allows me to see how to create the steps I need to accomplish my goals. It allows me to create a time frame of when to get things done and also, I don’t beat myself up anymore if I don’t reach my goals within my time frame.
I’ve come to understand that the journey is fine tuning me. I’ll reach my goal as long as I can keep taking the ‘next’ step.
Take time to write down your dreams, wants and goals. You deserve to be happy. Then write out in clearly defined steps what actions would have to take place to achieve them and in what time frame do you think they can be accomplished.
Make sure to look back at your written goals; soon you may find that perhaps you may not want to embark on those goals; you may discover that the journey has changed you and you no longer have the same passion to pursue them. Why hold on to dreams that have no meaning to you? It’s like having clothes in your closet that you will never wear. Better yet, you may find that your written goals provide you with clarity to pursue your goals and move onward with joy and passion.
Daisy Says: De-clutter your goal closet and re-discover your journey.
