Goals

I've had a bad attitude about goals for a long time (ever since Uncle Karl pointed out how linear they are: a story for another time). Dave says they're important and I could sure use some. I've been gradually warming to them, depending on how they structured. I mean, how can you have a goal to "get up every morning at 5:30am and exercise"? The first day that you're sick or that your alarm doesn't go off, you are a failure. I'm more comfortable with goals like "read the scriptures every day." That way, if something disrupts your normal plan, you can adjust and still "succeed." (This brings up the whole other topic of what is success, but I'll save that one for another day as well.) If you notice, you'll see that I'm actually more in favor of plans than goals. This has to do with how plans focus on means rather than ends, on efforts rather than results.

BUT, a while back it struck me (while reading the scriptures!) that a covenant is a commitment to/with God, and a promise is a commitment to others, so a goal can be seen as a commitment to yourself. That, I can accept (and use). My entire Seven to the Power of Seven plan is an expression of my commitment to myself for improvement, discipline and growth. Maybe I don't hate goals as much as I thought: perhaps I am only careful to avoid the dead ends of unrealistic and unreasonable ones. Let's hope!