This month’s theme is intentional living, and so far I have written about how time can be your enemy and how you can decipher where to go in ‘22. Today, I’ll cover another aspect of intentional living: Setting goals.
Careful readers of this blog might have noticed that last week I shared that I create quarterly goals in pursuit of my overarching vision for the year. I will repeat that this is what I do, but it is not what this post is about.
Rather, this post is about getting REAL about your long-term future.
Did you notice I capitalized the word REAL?
These are not the goals you are “supposed” to make.
These are not the goals you think others would want you to make.
These are not goals given to you by well-meaning people in your life.
These are REAL goals.
These are YOUR goals.
I know this sounds super cheesy. But, these are the kind of goals that are deep within your heart.
Trust me, they are (still) there.
I know that the last two years have been filled with so much stuff that your heart may feel callused and cold. Or is that just me?
Honestly, it was me until a Friday morning in December. With the aid of some good coffee, a closed door, and quiet, I asked myself a simple yet profound question:
What are the REAL goals that exist deep in my heart?
I turned to a blank page in my notebook, took a deep breath, and began writing.
About an hour later, I had 20 goals on the paper. They were the kind of goals that came to my mind immediately. In other words, they were not premeditated. Nor were they ones that I thought I “should” write down.
They were simply real.
For example:
- I want to be known as a Christ-follower that lives according to God’s word.
- I want to have the best marriage with Sarah possible.
- I want to have healthy friendships with our kids when they are adults.
- I want to be known as someone that is ruthlessly generous.
- I want to live my full allotment of years so that I impact my GREAT grandchildren’s lives.
- I want to help lead Hoffer Plastics to 10X growth during my time here — for those on our team, I can share figures!
- I want to help set up family governance that ensures G4 and G5 success at Hoffer Plastics.
This is a sampling of seven of my goals. Notice that they are aspirational in nature. They are heart goals, meaning they might not check off every aspect of the S.M.A.R.T. Goal framework. But they are inspirational and real.
They are the kind of goals WORTH LIVING FOR.
Here is what I know: the road ahead will not get any easier for you or me. There is no such thing as “normal” until events change again and you refer to whatever this is as “normal.”
Read that last line again.
Time is short.
Live intentionally.
Start by spending a few minutes this week dreaming about what you want to accomplish with the time you have left.
Just be REAL.
And then live it.