Goals, How many of you set them?
 

When I am in town I like to drive my Son and a few of his friends to school. On the way I always ask them "so what goals are we gonna set today?" and half of the time they say to stay awake but I press and it is normally based around getting homework down during study hall sometimes its speaking more in class (thats a shy kids goal) and other times it's learning a new cord. The goals are revisted the next day to see if anything was accomplished. Most of the time it is.

Well of course they ask me as well. Now I've been setting out daily goals for years, weekly and monthly ones as well and even a few annual and long term.

Seems like the only time I miss hitting my goals is due to not spending time on them - never a lack of talent but rather drive. So it stands to reason that really if we set our sights on achieving certain things, break it down to managable parts - due the due deligency to figuer out how to accomplish the smalls then its a good bet the bigger stuff starts to fall into place. Right?

So, how many of you all set goals and actually look to achieve success? doesn't have to be losing 50lb or getting a carreer off the ground, could be something smaller, more manageable....within reach.

I've always had savings/investment goals and workout goals going. Even if you don't hit them, working towards something keeps you motivated. Since I was laid off a year ago, my daily goal has been how many resumes to get out there/day.

And with all the free time, I got a LOT more riding time in on my bikes, so I'm nowhere near as rusty; my goal this year is to plan out and do some long rides this year on the 3-day weekends. One to Indianapolis and back, one to St. Louis, one to Louisville/Lexington for a vintage show this September.

Goal: World Domination
Results: Developing contributor

Every evening and every morning for the past two years I set a goal of finishing painting the interior of my house...oh, and mid-morning and mid-afternoon...the same goal.

:o
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Edit: got a fiance now...prolly ought to get it done.

Imagine if we all sets small goals to work towards achievement...

- daily personal physical / emotional goals like something like a mile walk, eat a few more pieces of fruit, eliminate negitive or self defeating thoughts
- daily family / marrage goals like just listen to loved ones more like addional 30 minutes
- daily spiritual goals like pray or meditate or just sit quite and 'be'.
- daily hobby or enrichment goals
- daily / weekly community goals
- daily work goals

like I said, nothing huge, something small, obtainble

My goals, set infrequently, usually extend to doing "X" on a particular project.
Most frequently, that will be learning a new (old) song for my gigs.
I have always been very much a "go with the flow" sort. My wife was the goal oriented one in the relationship. She seems to work like H E double hockey sticks to reach her goals (to live near her parents, to teach in the school system where she went to school, to have her horses), in the meanwhile, good things just seem to happen to me.
I've met great people, had an interesting career and a fun semi-retirement.
Sometimes, yes you have to make opportunities, other times, it seems you have to be ready to take them when they come along.
Whatever works for you.
Best
Les

Funny...I owned my own business (10+ employees) for 34 yrs. and was "results oriented" for all that time.
Retired now and I don't give a damn...because I don't have to. :p

Morning coffee with my wife in our backyard. No kids, noise, stress. Just a relaxing way to start the day at 7:00 am. My goal is to make that happen more frequently than just Sunday mornings.

I like that. A lot.

Sounds like a pretty good conversation to have with the kids. Even if they dont have an answer, it gets them thinking a little bit.

Through 17 years of night school I was always working toward a goal (AA, BSME, MSIE)
Now my only goal is to have fun and enjoy the life that busting my butt has provided.

Have your kids listen to Zig Ziglar's "See you at the top". It changed my life as an early teenager when Dad gave me the (then) tapes. Ever since I have set regular short and long term goals using Zig's methods. While it's dated, the principles are still relevant and always will be. RIP Zig.

See You at The Top Zig Ziglar 6 CDs Nightingale Conant | eBay

Daily, around 7 am sitting down at the desk each am. It's my 'to-do' list of shyte that needs to be accomplished that day. Drop topics in the Notebook, sketch out what the day will look like, frame it up in timescale and prioritize.

That's most days. There have been days when I just throw it out the window and play golf or finish a brake job.

I'm training my boys with a similar approach to getting their schoolwork organized. Life's been a lot more predictable and enjoyable when we actually have time to allow for the unexpected crap that pops up.

I am trying to impress upon them that if you look to not only set goals but to achieve some (if not all) then you can look back and relax and say 'hmmm, I did pretty good' because I don't know many folks that set such...and its a sad thing really, a lazy thing and a life without acomplishment is really a life not lived to potential...

...and if your Churchy or one of those God's people think of it in these terms...God has provided you a gift, you know what it is...and you haven't used that gift, or even shown any appriciation for it. How do you think that would make God feel? How do you feel when you buy your kid a cool bike and they never ride it or you make a nice painting for your wife and she doesn't hang it...not imagine having the chops to provide a person with a gift (talent)? and they don't use it?

I don't know about you but I tell you what...I would think twice about giving again and maybe I would be rather pissed off as well. Not to say God is like that but you get the idea.

I use this example on my kiddos...it puts things in persepective for them. They work hard, try hard and set small goals...and they feel really good about themselves because they have acomplishments reached...

I stopped setting goals a long time ago. I live my life day to day. I find I'm way happier and way less stressed out.


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I would think that setting goals is a good thing. If a father had two kids then one might adopt the goal system and the other might reject it. If a father did not educate his kids about goal orientation he would be negligent....
G.