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 Goalscan improve your lifeIt happened to me again just this morning. The woman on the phone said, “Oh, Elaine, you sound busy!” My response was, “I don’t really like that word, I’d rather call it being intentional about what's important to me.”
Writing things down turns dreams into goals. Thinking is hard work, but the reward is having a clear picture in your mind and on paper what’s really important. Steven Covey writes in FIRST THINGS FIRST about the idea of “putting the big rocks in first” into the jar of your life. If you know what’s important, things like planning and relationships, then you’ll enjoy the quality of life you’re seeking. You'll be less likely to waste time with trivia, TV or running from crisis to crisis. Here’s what my list looks like. It’s taped to the front cover of my daytimer.
Your points may not be perfectly clear, but keep jotting. What kind of quality of life is important to you? Who do you want to spend time with ? Where do you want to put your energy? What hobbies or passions have you been neglecting? What kinds of things do you want to say “Yes!” to? I did this exercise with a group of rural women. It dawned on some of them that they were frustrated because their current activities had little to do with what was on their list. Our farming lives have different seasons of intensity, but the list tells us what we cherish and value and gives us direction in the decisions or choices we make with our time. Have you ever considered beginning a list of your life ambitions or dreams? Seventy-year-old John Goddard wrote a list of 127 life goals when he was 15. Many of them were challenging, like climbing the world's mountains, running a 5-minute mile, and reading an entire encyclopedia. He’s completed at least 107 of his goals!
Grab some blank paper and a pen. Take time to make a dream list. Write rapidly without editing about everything that you’d like to achieve in the next 10 years. Consider all parts of your life — physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, educational and financial. Next step: Write 1, 3, 5, 10 or C beside each item on your dream list. 1 means that this goal is important to you in the next year, 3 = 3 years, 5 = 5 years, 10 = 10 years, and C = continuous. Congratulations! You now have a written list of goals with a timeline. David Irvine, a farm family author and speaker, says, “The purpose of goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them. It’s the journey that’s important, not the destination.” Clarifying your life's goals and priorities helps you to focus your energy. It also gives you a map to monitor life decisions. That’s what I mean about being intentional. There are lots of interesting things to do, but what kind of person do I want to be, and what am I called to do? Some people are so frantic with handling day-to-day problems that they’ve never stopped long enough to see if they might be able to make better choices that line up with what they really value. Don’t wait for cancer or a heart attack to push you to reflection. Privately ponder what you hope to be and do. Share your thoughts and plans with those you love. Enjoy the success of living a high quality of life on your farm or ranch that fulfills you. If you’re in the middle of calving season, perhaps the best thing to do is take a nap. The work will always be waiting at our back step. What we want to do is work smarter, not harder. If your passion is to touch lives and make a difference, get out your road map of goals. Successful people write things down. You'll be amazed at the results of writing down your goals to help you enjoy a better quality of life. Elaine Froese encourages farm families with her speaking and writing business, based on her farm near Boissevain, Man. Contact her toll-free at 1-866-534-6846 or by e-mail at elaine@elainefroese.com Note: You are welcome to reprint or repost any articles on this website with the understanding that
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In our community, small groups of farm couples are starting to get together to talk about their quality of life. They’re setting new priorities for people, land and profit. Please grab a blank sheet of paper or a small index card and pen as you’re reading. It’s time to write down 10 things that are very important to you.