Category Archives: Goals

The Biggest Waste of Time That Can Change Your Life

20 February 2010

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Creating a list of one hundred goals is a monumental task.  Before reaching the one hundred mark, completing the list often becomes a goal of its own.  I didn’t finish my own list in a day or even a week but, in time, the list reached 100 goals and it continues to grow.  Today I  added my 123rd goal, “Learn how to Moon Walk like Michael Jackson”.

Writing a list of goals might seem like a big waste of time and, for some people, it might be.  Some people will write a list of goals and forget about them only moments later.  It is understandable.  We have “real lives” and chasing after a list of goals doesn’t fit into our routine.  There is dinner to be made, bills to be paid and obligations to fulfill.  That goal of taking a vacation with your mother isn’t really a priority.  That goal of becoming a doctor just isn’t practical when you have to work  two jobs just to make ends meet.

It is exactly that attitude, those who believe possibility doesn’t exist, that renders such a list meaningless.  A waste of time.  Not until this perspective is altered can a person maximize the value of such a list.  The reality isn’t that the list is a waste of time, it is your attitude that makes it a waste of time.  Without belief in yourself and in your abilities, a list changes absolutely nothing in your life.  If you don’t believe you can change, you won’t.  You will become a product of circumstance in your own life.  You forfeit control.

Those who dream and believe will find that creating a list of one hundred goals is exactly the catalyst they need to change their lives for the better.  Cynics may not believe that accomplishing a goal like skydiving or bungee jumping can change someone’s life.  I would argue otherwise.  Pursuing goals requires a person to stand up and take a proactive position in their own life.  They create opportunity and pursue their passions.  They conquer fear and overcome personal weakness.  No longer is their life a consequence of their surroundings but instead, a result of their efforts.

Those who dream and believe will do what it takes to make their dreams a reality.  They will do what it takes to change the aspects of their lives that they are not happy with and will begin living aggressively in pursuit of their desires and ambitions.

Creating your own list of one hundred goals might just be the biggest waste of time that can change your life…forever.

✓ Goal #6) Sponsor a Child

13 February 2010

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We’ve all seen the commercials asking you to become the sponsor of a starving child. Our hearts are heavy for these children as we see them barely clinging to life. We wish there was something we could do to change their situation and more times than I’d like to admit, I’ve turned my head, diverted my eyes or changed the channel. After a few moments, the guilt subsides and my life goes on as usual.

So do their lives.

The commercials end but the suffering goes on. Children all over the world are still hungry, still dying of preventable diseases, still drinking dirty water. My few moments of guilt do nothing to improve their situation.

I have always thought about sponsoring a child but I never felt like the time was right. I didn’t feel like I had enough money. My recent trip to Isla Roatan in Honduras opened my eyes to the struggle people face on a daily basis. A sixty-second commercial does not have the same impact on a person as being there. I realized that no matter how “broke” I convince myself that I am, my life is so fortunate and I should give to those less fortunate than myself.

Today, instead of feeling guilty about doing nothing, I sponsored a child in Honduras. I accomplished a goal but more importantly, I am helping in a small way to change someone else’s life for the better. I am helping give them an opportunity in life. Helping someone else is far more rewarding than scratching another goal off of my list.

I urge you to consider sponsoring a child of your own. It will be one of the most rewarding choices of your life.

Your Struggles Give You Character

19 December 2009

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A goal isn’t a goal if it is easy to accomplish.  A goal is something that you have to work at.  A goal means challenging yourself, facing a fear, overcoming disadvantage, taking charge, living proactively instead of reactively.  Goals require hard work and perseverance.  At times, you will falter.  You will struggle.  You may fail.  Through it all, it isn’t the accomplishment that is important but that you pushed yourself through the challenges in order to succeed.

It is easy to stand on the sideline and watch the world move around you while you wish away your life.  I know, I’ve done it.  A large portion of my teenage years were spent smoking pot, listening to rock n’ roll and sleeping.  While none of these things individually are the reason why I was unmotivated to be successful, they were my escape from reality.  It was my way of ignoring the fact that I was failing to live up to my potential.  I was insecure, I doubted my ability, I was afraid.  Worst of all, I was comfortable.  I had become complacent and accepted my mediocre existence.

It took a long time for me to realize that life has so many opportunities to offer and that I was missing out.  Getting thrown in jail really helped me to understand the path that my life was taking.  In many ways, sitting in a jail cell with no one to talk to, coming down from my high, was the best moment in my life.  I knew that I needed to change my life.

Just like people struggle to lose weight or struggle to finish running a marthon, I struggled to get away from drugs.  I lost all of my friends and it was hard to change my lifestyle.  I fell back into drugs a couple of times before finally walking away from it for good but the struggle was worth the effort.  I am able to reflect back on that moment of my life and appreciate the lessons I have learned.

It is easy to be discouraged when things don’t work out as we had planned or if results are not as immediate as we would like.  We forget that success isn’t something that happens overnight.  When we think about climbing a mountain, we envision ourselves standing at the summit, casting our gaze towards the distant horizon but forget about the six hour hike to the top.

Success comes to those who are willing to persist during moments of struggle and pain.  Our struggles and perseverance are what set us apart.  Those who stick it out will see the rewards of their efforts and those who don’t, won’t.  It is your struggles that give you character.  Your struggles make you who you are today.