Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Learning to Set Goals


Although I have woken up every morning to see written on the mirror, “What are you doing to make this the best year of your life, so far?” what am I doing to make this year the best I have ever lived? Despite doing the two weeks of P90X with my wife, “deleting” my facebook page (for a whole day), and wearing my TOMS everywhere, there hasn’t been much success in changing my life. Part of it, I think, is the fact that I haven’t set any goals to achieve this.  So, setting realistic goals in my life is something I need to do. I hate to admit it, but my father was right... Actually, I talked to him recently about doing this and he said that for about six years he kept a "goals journal," writing his goals in each year, and while he may not have accomplished all of his goals, he shared with me how that wasn’t necessarily the point. In setting the goals and aiming for their outcome, he saw how things have happened and changed in his life based on striving for those goals, making him a better person whether or not goals where completed.
This made me think about all of the things that have made this year the best I have ever lived: Starting a new, fulfilling job of ministry with the CCO at Kenyon College; working part-time in a kitchen (something I’ve always wanted to do); spending time hanging out with one of my favorite singer/songwriters (and his incredible friend); finding reconciliation in my own relationship with my father; reading books that I have always put off; finishing our own musical endeavors (http://zenandjane.bandcamp.com) with more to come; starting to discover what it means for my wife and I to live in community with others; writing a book with one of my best friends; learning what it means to cherish and connect with friends over distance and time; facing my own introverted fears, sticking up for myself, and confronting my passive aggressive nature (with a lot of help from Jennifer). Honestly, I can say that this has been the best year I have ever lived, so far, and I am ecstatic to say that, but going on from here, I want to be able to say that next year and the year after that and the year after that… So, perhaps setting those goals is the next step in my process.