Goals

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” - Albert Einstein

It's that time of year again, the start of a new year, the time when we make new years resolutions and tell ourselves that this year is going to be different. How many of us stuck to our new years resolutions last year? If we want this year to be different, we are going to have to do things differently to last year. One thing we are not taught at school is goal setting, and I believe it is something we should be taught from an early age.

“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” - Fitzhugh Dodson

When we set out on a journey to a place we have never been before, we buy a map or ask someone for directions. Can you imagine how long it would take to reach our destination if we just got in our car and started driving! The same applies to our life, if we don't write down our goals and refer back to them frequently we may never achieve them. And when we follow directions, we constantly look for landmarks along the journey that let us know we are heading in the right direction. The same goes for setting goals, we need to set smaller goals that lead to our bigger goals.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” - Larry Elder

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” - C.S. Lewis

I know a lot of people who never set any goals, their reason, destiny. They believe they are born the way they are and their life has already been planned for them. Even I used to believe it, and wouldn't it be nice if it were true, we could just go through life dealing with the day to day drama believing we are where we are because it's God's plan and at the end of our life we can then blame God for everything we didn't like in our life. It was a movie that opened my eyes to the truth, 'Bruce Almighty' starring Jim Carrey and Morgan Freeman. While the movie is a comedy, it emphasizes free will. And I can't believe in free will and destiny, they completely
contradict each other.

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” - William Jennings Bryan

“Destiny: A tyrant's authority for crime and a fool's excuse for failure.” - Ambrose Bierce

So if you believe in destiny, I'm sorry, I can't help you, but if you believe you have some control over your life then I'd like to share with you. My first goal for the year is to learn how to set goals effectively, and I'll share what I learn.

I believe we all share one common goal, to be successful at living life, and we can all help each other achieve this goal, by loving each other, encouraging each other, respecting each other and sharing our infinite wisdom.

I leave you this week with a quote to remind you that what happened 5 seconds ago can't be changed!

“It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.” — Brian Tracy