Lesson 18: Goal-Setting, Part 3, Decide, Then Focus
My view is simple: you have two main sets of goals for your time on earth in history. One relates to your job. The other relates to your calling.
Note: if life extends beyond the grave, how do the two plans fit?
If life does not extend beyond the grave, who will be the heirs of your legacy? How do you know? Your two plans must include a plan for this inheritance.
You may have other goals.
What about marriage? Marry in terms of your calling.What about finances? Finances must support your calling.
What about health? Good health is needed for both job and calling.
What about retirement? Don’t retire.
What about formal education? Formal education relates to your job qualifications.
What about self-education? This must be aimed at the job and the calling.
What about leisure time? This is re-creation, not recreation. It gives you strength to work.
What about travel? Mostly for your calling, but maybe for your job.
What about sports? Mostly irrelevant. Watch peak performances on YouTube.
What about reading fiction? Wasted time. Read classics for self-education.
What about hobbies? Select one that helps your job or calling, e.g., photography.
What about time with family? This is part of your calling.
The general rule is this: do not waste time. All time must be spent in terms of a program. The program supports either time or calling.
Then there is this: What about happiness? It is never earned. It is always given. Decide soon who gives it and why. Anyone who pursues happiness as a goal is pursuing a phantom. There is no program for attaining happiness. It comes unexpectedly. It is like intuition: the great “ah, ha!” It is like discovery. You hope for it. You must train yourself to enjoy it when it comes.
Here is the universal rule of happiness: it does not last long. Contentment does.
For 412 quotations on happiness — some serious, some humorous, but with no coherent pattern or message — click here.
A BUCKET LIST
There is a movie called The Bucket List. It is about two dying men who accompany each other on a worldwide series of adventures. Each had a list of things he wanted to do before dying. Now, they jointly do them.
Here are two long bucket lists. Neither list has integrating pattern. Why would anyone look back on having completed these goals with any sense of accomplishment? They are just stuff, like piles of collections. Click them. Do not spend more than one minute per list.
http://moneyqanda.com/100-goalshttp://jackcanfield.com/my-101-lifetime-goals-list-and-why-you-should-have-one-too
VAGUE VS. SPECIFIC GOALS
Vague: http://www.ranker.com/list/most-important-life-goals-list/samantha-dillinger
Specific: http://zenhabits.net/a-simple-guide-to-setting-and-achieving-your-life-goals/
FIVE GOLDEN RULES
There are lots of golden rules. These are OK. They are better than none. Think about them carefully. They may help you select your goals.
Here is my rule: “A bad plan is better than no plan. You can always revise a bad plan, or else replace it.”