September
14
I know! The king of goal setting is giving up. But why is the important part.
First, let me say there is nothing wrong with setting goals. We all have goals we want to achieve and it is good to set up reminders to keep us on track. They do help us to move forward and create the lives we want.
The problem I have is I set too many goals.
When did too many goals become a problem? It became a problem when I stopped living for today and instead for the future. You see, all my goals create a better future but they do not create a better present. I am not really doing anything but working on a dream far away that hopefully one day I will reach…
The next problem is I will never reach that day…
Every time I achieve a goal, or lately, get close to the goal I set a new one. This isn’t usually a new goal as a new direction but some goal to set me to reach higher. For example, if I make so much money a year I am set. When I make that amount, I decide it would be better if I made more.
I know. You all think I am crazy! You think what is wrong for wanting more? I agree. There is nothing wrong with wanting more as long as it is not at the price of losing today.
When I look at my days they are focused and driven on meeting goals. I spend all the time looking at them, thinking about them and moving towards them. But where is the fun NOW? Where is the joy NOW? Where is the payoff NOW?
I am wasting my days trying to get somewhere that is far away and who knows if I will be happier there.
Now as I said, I am a goal setter and an overachiever. I am not giving up the practice of goal setting because it is effective and it works well. What I am giving up is the idea of setting goals to improve the future, instead I am setting goals to improve the present.
By improving the present, I am moving myself forward. I am achieving more and I am creating a better life NOW! As I do this, it is still helping me to create a better future.
What is the big difference?
The big difference is my goals no longer promise a chance of joy later. They will create joy TODAY!
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Iris Arenson-fuller
on 14 Sep 2009 at 1:29 pm #
This moment is just too precious to not feel it to the max. Good thoughts.
Living in the present will indeed help you to create a better life tomorrow.
I always think of the old Fred Gwynne storybook for kids, Michael. It was called, The King Who Rains, and I remember a colorful illustration of a huge wrapped gift box with a bow, but with the top of the box cut off and the caption, “Mommy says I should live in the present”. Still makes me chuckle.
Enjoy and savor the gains you will make today. Tomorrow will bring more.
100 Day Challenge
on 18 Sep 2009 at 7:14 am #
For me, setting and achieving goals is a constant reminder to make full use of the present moment for a better tomorrow.
Without goals and deadlines, many will just live idly and in complacent. With a goal in mind, we become aware of the limited time we have, and will want to live fully every moment.