By setting worthwhile goals and keeping your eyes fixed on them, you will learn self-discipline and accomplish much.
Ben B. Banks
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?
Robert Browning
There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something.
Henry Ford
When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.
Greg Anderson
Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people's criticisms, carry out your plan.
Paul Meyer
Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.
Stephen A. Brennan
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I absolutely LOVE this time of year. I am such a goal-oriented person, and I always get excited to start fresh with a clean slate each January 1st. I have lots of resolutions for 2008, some of which deal with becoming more prepared as a family, becoming more physically fit, making date night more of a priority, etc.
As I've thought about what I need to improve this year, I've gotten a little frustrated, because many of these goals are the same ones I had last year :o) So how do you stay optimistic with your goal-setting, really believing that this is the year that the changes will actually happen? And then being able to follow through with them? Any ideas? I'd love to hear them, and to find out what you've got on your New Year's Resolution list this time around...
13 comments:
I find that if I have the same goal from my list from last year, or the last 2 years, I make it a lifetime goal and leave it at that. I then take it off my New Year's goals, and make a new, smaller goal that is related. Like the date night thing, it's on my list too but last year I said we would date at least once a quarter (managable, that way we don't HAVE to go out every month and then feel like a failure when we don't) and we would go to the temple once for these dates. Goal set, made and accomplished! Yay! You and I have the same goal of being more prepared...my goal is to buy at least the first 5 weeks of food storage stuff on the church website. It's a smaller goal, something I feel I can manage, and something that will start me off in the right direction. Like your blog title says, keep it simple. Baby steps to your ultimate goal. Good luck and Happy New Year!
Karen! I found your blog on a link list, I was so excited! How are things in Maryland? I love the quotes you posted, what a great blog! Hope you are all doing great :-)
Karen,
You are always so good about setting goals and improving yourself. I have always admired that about you. I don't have much advice, except if you are working on food storage -- one thing that has helped me is that when I do my weekly grocery shopping, I buy double the non-perishables of what I need for at least one or two of the meals for that week. Then I store the extra stuff and am always stocked for an emergency meal, or for the future. Also, my sister-in-law gave me a list of food storage essentials from FEMA that I keep in my purse and I always buy at least one thing on it each time I go grocery shopping. They are small things, like vinegar, honey, tuna fish, etc. But I like having that reference with me all the time and it has really helped us stock up without having a huge expense all at once. We also like to put away any money we get for Christmas and set it aside. Then when the local grocery stores have their case lot sales, we use that money and really stock up on all the things we use often. Good luck! Miss you!
I still have the same goals as every other year... I guess some things always need to be in the back of our minds. Maybe that is my problem, that it is in the back of my mind, not the front??? Anyway, you always have such great thinking blogs. I am glad we are friends!
This year, it has taken me a little longer than usual to be ready for the holidays, and now that it's the 9th, I'm ready to think about the New Year. I'm keeping my list simple this year, since I have so many things on my plate. First, I want to get back into writing in my journal regularly. It's something that I've done since I was a teenager, but kids and fatigue got me out of the habit. I've been doing pretty good so far. :)
My next goal is to exercise more regularly (one of those things that I start and stop all the time, but I really do value it!)
Basically, same old things....I have other things I want to work on as well, but I'm going to focus small to start out with. Good luck accomplishing your goals! You are an inspiration to me!!
This year I'm doing quarterly goals, and just one main one per quarter. The idea is that if I get these certain, seemingly small things in order, other things will fall into place more easily. Good luck!
safire: way to be realistic with yourself. I think that's where i have to find the balance... you don't throw in the towel on things you're STILL working on, just make it a life goal! and start with babysteps. i think i'm going to print up your response :o)
call clan: jeremy LOVED your grocery list idea. do you have the book called "practical preparedness"? it is fantastic! she helps you build up your food storage for $5 a week, with your same basic idea. thanks!
heather k: i was thinking the same thing. there's a REASON it's still on your list, karen!!! it needs to be more of a priority. we'll help each other :o) i know i still need to call you--i will!
laura: journaling--what a good goal. i am pretty good about writing in the boys' journals, but not so much my own. i only write when something major has happened--my posterity will get the idea that my life was only full of BIG things! not so...
mindy: quarterly goals--so much more manageable! i think i will take your idea and tweak it for myself--little goals each quarter to track my progress throughout the year. thanks!
I am a total hypocrite. I often lecture 7th graders on the importance of goals, but avoid them as much as possible for myself.
This may sound silly, but I found I was setting the same goals again and again each year too. I had lots of goals and never accomplishing any of them. So I tried a new thing I had only a very few "New Years Resolutions". Long term goals that I wanted to accomplish in the year. Then at the beginning of each month I would set a smaller goal that I would work on during that month. Sometimes it would go into the next month too, but if it didn't that was okay too. Then I would also evaluate where I was with my few all-year goals and set some smaller, attainable expectations to try and get to that month in attaining those year-long goals. I didn't have lots of big goals that I accomplished in a year, but I did have some successes with achieving smaller goals that were more consistant and made me feel successful.
Come right along with me Karen, I could use the motivation of someone checking in on me...besides Jake that is. I know what you mean, it was like tying a hog to get me to buckle down and make some goals. I love making them, but hate it too. Jacob bugged me about it every day for a while till I relented and saw the light. I'd love to see what you'd do with the SPT, come join!!
Hey, I have that problem with the same goals showing up over and over, too. I'd love to take some of those off the list, especially the physically fit one! Hey, just saw a link to your blog and thought I'd jump on. I love all of your quotations.
Jessica
KAREN!! Of course we rem'ber you. Have you kept up with your Turkish belly dancing? You have a beautiful family. It's great to see what you've been up to. How long have you been out east? We used to live so close to you and didn't even know it.
Karen, I found your blog through someone's link on their blog. It is great to see what you are up to. We were in DC for four years for law school. We are in Denver for a year and then we will be moving back there, but we are Virginians. It is so good to see you and your cute boys. Good to see what you are up to.
Laura Bailey
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