On Goals and Actions
I just have two questions for you today.
1. What are three things you want to accomplish with your life?
Really think about your answer to that for a few minutes, if you don’t already know.
Your list doesn’t have to include things like bringing about world peace or stamping out hunger, but it should include goals that are important to you personally. In other words, your answer should include things you really would like to accomplish before you leave this earth.
Write those things down.
Now, answer the next question:
2. What have you done today to bring yourself closer to accomplishing one or more of those things?
If you can list something, chances are good that you’ll get to where you want to be.
If you can’t, there’s no time like the present to make a change.
I know, you’re busy. But make the time. Get up a half hour earlier. Turn off the internet. Skip your usual lunch. Say no to something that isn’t on your list of important things.
Do what matters, instead of what’s ordinary.
That is an amazing way to put people on the spot. I actually keep a life list on my personal blog and recently posted an update on my progress. One goal that I have been working on this last week is to visit every US state. I just got a flight to New Orleans to cross Louisiana off the list. Here is my most recent update: http://www.ericjrosenberg.com/2012-life-list/
Enjoy New Orleans! :)
I went through those questions when I was 31 years old. It motivated me to set up aplan to meet my goals and work it everyday. I achieved financial freedon and I still set goals and put together a plan to achieve various goals in my life.
I need to remind myself to go through these questions regularly, otherwise it becomes too easy to be focused on the day-to-day stuff instead.
What are three things you want to accomplish with your life?
1. Own my own home.
2. Travel to every continent.
3. Be happy, healthy, and helpful.
What have you done today to bring yourself closer to accomplishing one or more of those things?
1. Talked to my realtor.
2. Work (to make money / vacation time to travel more).
3. Get sleep, ate meat and veggies, check in with some volunteer opportunities.
Sounds like you’re on track :)
Which continents have you been to so far?
Good post. If we don’t know where we are going we may find ourselves just spinning our wheels.
Exactly!
These are really powerful questions to consider. I’m going to have to ponder this a bit!
They’re worth thinking about :)
Great, and simple, exercise, thanks. It does seem like time gets sucked up doing the things that are aimed at accomplishing things that, in the end, really aren’t that important to us! Consciousness is key.
Yup, the key is to strike the right balance between the things that are truly important and stuff that just has to get done. And if you have to pick one, go with important :)
Some great motivation, but can we really turn off the internet? lol.
I’ve been focusing on several goals this year and have them listed on a whiteboard a few feet from my desk.
Haha, well, you can at least turn off your connection to it! I suppose it would be bad if we managed to turn off the entire Internet :)
This is actually why I track my goals for this year in my weekly Sunday Evening Posts. If I don’t make them visible to myself on a regular basis, I don’t work toward them.
That’s a great way to do it. And despite all my posting on goals, I have yet to set any new ones for 2012. Maybe I will just stick with last year’s biggie of “pay off the mortgage”.
What are three things you want to accomplish with your life?
1. Accumulate enough wealth to retire by 50
2. See the world and share those experiences with a significant other
3. Be happy, healthy with a great family with a strong connection and values
What have you done today to bring yourself closer to accomplishing one or more of those things?
1. Started saving from an early age
2. Got a well paid job in the city of london to start next year
3. Educated myself about financial matters
Sounds like you are doing well :)
What will you be doing in London?
Excellent, concise way to look at whether or not we’re truly working toward what’s most important to us. I was just thinking that I might not have gotten as much done today as I wanted, but in the context of your questions above, I actually have done things to help most important goals. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for the comment, and I’m glad to hear you’ve gotten more done than you realized :)
I do this exact exercise every day with my goals. I make it a point to have done at least one thing every single day that will bring me closer towards achieving my goals. I find that this keeps me moving in the right direction.
That’s awesome that you do it daily! I bet you accomplish exactly what you set out to do that way :)