How important are goals to you? They’re often touted as great motivational tools… they’re one way of spicing up our lives. But the activities that have brought me the greatest joy have been the ones that I’ve made long-term commitments to, e. g., participating in a marriage, raising a child, blogging, etc. They’ve been activities that have kept me learning and growing with the added advantage of valuing the process, the present moment, rather than chasing after some future achievement.
What about you? What makes you feel fully alive? What has brought you the most joy in life?
“What has brought you the most joy in life?” My family
bikehikebabe,
I agree! That said, have you ever set some goals that you enjoyed working towards/achieving?
Come to think of it, most everything I do has a goal behind it. Sewing, gardening, cooking, bicycling the loop. A loop you have to achieve. If you choose to pick a distance, turn around & come back, you might cheat & turn around too soon.
I tend to work from the future back – so I’m very goal oriented in that sense. I find them most use to know the next step.
I also find them easy to change!
Evan,
“I also find them easy to change!” I think that’s the secret. It’s fine to be working toward something, but that doesn’t mean we have to be fanatical.
Goals are simply tools to focus your energy in positive directions, they can be changed as your priorities change, new ones added, and others dropped.
– O. Carl Simonton.
That about sums up my attitude towards goals. For the past decade or so, my goals have been shifting and changing and I have had to adapt to changing circumstances frequently. What gives me joy is in being able to adapt to these changes and taking on whatever comes along.
.-= Rummuser´s last blog ..Hope And Renewal. =-.
Rummuser,
“Goals are simply tools to focus your energy in positive directions….” I agree. I’ve always been focused on growth rather than on achievement. So goals are simply a way of keeping me engaged in life. They keep me in the optimal stress zone when external events aren’t keeping me challenged.
My compliments on the selection of that apt cartoon. How I wish that I could be like that!
.-= Rummuser´s last blog ..Hope And Renewal. =-.
as a completely different thought…my goal re/my family is to stay as far away from them as possible. But on saying that: a few months ago I decided that I would try them out again and went on a day trip with a few of them to see some others…the upshot is WON’T BE DOING THAT AGAIN IN A HURRY.
so the goals I have currently…are about enjoying myself to the best of my ability. I recently decided that even though some days I have problems with rain, weather, traffic, getting about…in the main every day brings the goal closer (whichever the goal it is for that day)
🙂
.-= Cathy in NZ´s last blog ..You never know what’s in a trademans’ toolbox =-.
Cathy,
Good for you! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. It sounds as if your schedule keeps you busy.