Category Archives: Goals

The Power of a List

12 October 2010

6 Comments

I must apologize.

I feel like I’ve done a terrible job of keeping everyone informed about what’s going on in my life.  Why?  When I write about my life, either I feel like I’m bragging or whining…neither of which I like doing.  And, as much as I try to fill every moment of my time with excitement, not every moment is exciting!  Actually, most days are pretty routine.  I put my pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of the world.

Where I feel like my life diverges from a large portion of people isn’t in how I live my daily life but how I plan for the future.  My eyes are always focused on accomplishing the goals I set for myself and making plans for world domination.  Creating my list of goals has helped me build a remarkable life, even if once in a while (or more often than not) I’m at home reading a book or doing homework.  But just having a list of goals isn’t what makes my life exceptional…lots of people have goals and some of their lists are longer than mine!  No, a list isn’t enough.  Making plans and taking action is what an amazing life is all about.

And I always have a plan.

As a matter of fact, I’m in the process of making plans for four rather significant trips: Japan, France (Spain, Morocco, Italy, Switzerland), Russia (Belarus), and Ethiopia.  Whether these trips come to fruition is not entirely certain but the point is that I’m making plans.  I’m doing what I can to make it all happen.  Making plans gives me something to look forward to and they give me the extra little push I need to make it through the less-than-extraordinary days with a smile.

Every once in a while I’ll read through my list looking for something I can scratch off.  Apparently Erin also looks at my list with the same intentions.  This weekend, thanks to an incredible birthday gift, I’ll be going on a hot-air balloon ride (weather permitting, of course).  And in November, if everything works out, I’ll be traveling to Taiji, Japan to spend a week doing volunteer work with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, #5 on the list, “Volunteer time with an environmental group”.

I’d like to think I have the ability to convince everyone to write a list of a hundred goals but I know not everyone will.  Some people are too cynical to believe in the power of such a list, minimizing it as just a stupid “Bucket List”.  This isn’t about creating a list of shit to do before you die, it’s about creating a list that’s meant to guide you and help create a meaningful life, not only for yourself but for others as well.

If writing a list of 100 goals seems daunting, don’t get discouraged.  You don’t need to write your list all at once.  Carry it around in your pocket for a week or two.  When something comes to mind, write it down.  I have no doubt that you’ll come up with a hundred goals quicker than you thought possible.  There are so many things in this world to see and experience that you might even have a hard time stopping at one hundred!

In the Blink of an Eye

11 October 2010

2 Comments

Do you care so passionately about something that you’d give up everything to chase after it?

Would you sacrifice the creature comforts of your everyday life or challenge the strength of a relationship?  Could you walk away from a stable career, even if it meant losing the assurance of a steady paycheck?  In the blink of an eye, could you turn your back on life as you now know it to risk turning it into one that dreams are made of?

Most people wouldn’t.

Not because they can’t but because it’s hard.  So many things could go wrong.  It’s far more reasonable (and safe) to stay the course with the life we’ve already created for ourselves.  Life-altering change isn’t something most of us actively seek out.  It’s one of those things that smacks us in the face when we least expect it.

Someone we love dies.  We discover that our partner has been unfaithful.  Maybe we lose our job without warning.

When these things happen, we have a decision to make; either we ignore the problems or we rise to the occasion and turn tragedy into triumph.  But why should we wait for our lives to be flipped head over heals before we become active participants in our destiny?  Why slog through yet another day ignoring our dreams and suffocating our passions.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

The Rulebook of Life doesn’t exist and you don’t need permission from anyone to live life on your own terms.  There’s no reason to spend the rest of your time here on Earth doing something that doesn’t bring you satisfaction or give your life meaning. 

It may not seem like it, but each day we have a choice to make.  Either we can put the right shoe on before the left, just as we always do, and live a repeat of yesterday or we can wake up and make magic happen.

“But I don’t really have a choice and besides, change isn’t practical.”

You do have a choice.  We all do.  The door to life isn’t locked, you just need to give it a little push and it will swing wide open.  No one else can do that for you.  And maybe change isn’t practical, but tell me, what practical person ever influenced history?  It’s the people who took risks and had big dreams that changed the world…will you be one of them?

These are your days, make the most of them.

Just Do It: Five Steps to Create the Life of Your Dreams

14 August 2010

4 Comments

Now that I’ve moved away from my hometown, I use Facebook to keep my friends and family up to date on what I’m doing.  Whenever I travel somewhere or do something exciting (like skydiving or rock climbing) I post pictures of my adventures on my profile.  Almost every time I post a new photo album, someone leaves a comment about how they wish they could do the things that I do, claiming they don’t have the time, the money or that their responsibilities as a parent or employee hold them back.

They’re wrong! And if you think you don’t have the time or money, or that your obligations are limiting your opportunities, you’re wrong, too!  The only thing preventing anyone, including you, from doing anything is the willingness to make it happen; to Just DO It! The doors are open and opportunity awaits anyone willing to reach out and grab it.  There are no gatekeepers preventing you from living the life of your dreams. You don’t have to ask anyone for permission.  The world is your oyster!

How!? How can you begin living the life of your dreams…RIGHT NOW?

Make a Choice: What do you want out of life?  Do you dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail or living in a foreign country?  Whatever your desires, if you ever hope to see them through to fruition you must make them your priority.  If you want to travel, choose to make it a priority.  Want to become a writer?  Choose to make it a priority.  Inside each of us there is an “on” switch that we must flip.  Make a choice, flip that switch, commit to your goal and pursue it ruthlessly, without hesitation or apologies.

Stop Dreaming: Dreams bring inspiration but dreams and inspiration will only get you so far.  If you ever want to accomplish anything, you must move beyond the visions in your head.  Dreaming, hoping and wishing don’t produce results.  Burgess Meredith in Grumpier Old Men said it best:

You can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which gets filled first.

Stop Making Excuses: There’s an excuse for everything and guess what, all of those excuses suck.  An excuse is just a way of justifying inaction due to fear.  It’s easy to say “I can’t” if you can blame it on some externality that you “aren’t able” to control.  It’s not easy to admit that you’re afraid of stepping outside of your comfort zone.  It’s so much easier to blame your situation on money, time or the kids.  And since those excuses are so universally accepted in our culture, no one is going to call you out on any of them.  No one, that is, except me.  All of your excuses are bullshit. You know it and I know it.  Stop making excuses, you won’t live forever.  These guys aren’t making excuses.

Prepare: Want to quit your job?  Sit down, take an honest assessment of your financial situation and create a plan to shore up any weaknesses you find.  Create a budget, eliminate all extraneous expenses, get out of debt, build your savings.  Prepare yourself in real ways that will help you to succeed.  No matter how much you hate your job, hate alone isn’t going to set you up for success.  Do something positive each day with that emotional energy, then smile as you walk through the door because you know that you are one day closer to walking away for good.

Take Action: Preparation leads you in the right direction but, like dreams, can only take you so far.  Once you reach a point where all the preparations have been made, it is time to take action.  Action creates change.  Change brings about opportunity.  Don’t count on luck to bring you the life of your dreams.  “Luck” is just opportunity presenting itself to those people who are prepared to act upon it.  You can create your own luck by taking action towards accomplishing your goals.  Want to become an artist?  Paint.  Want to learn a foreign language?  Take a class.  Want to travel the world?  Buy a plane ticket.  Action is the only thing that separates dreaming from reality.

Creating the life of your dreams isn’t difficult, it just requires dedication, determination and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone to take calculated risks.  Success isn’t guaranteed, but failure only comes to those who quit. Turn your dreams into reality, make the choice to make it happen.  Give up the excuses and prepare for success.  Create a new reality; the reality of your dreams.