Coffee With Maddie




It’s the beginning of a new year, which means goal setting time for Maddie! It’s time to evaluate my goals from last year and start putting new ones together for 2003. As I enjoy my first cup of coffee for the day I’m wondering if an often-used quote applies to my goal setting technique: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” Ouch.

Each year I write down my goals in my SARK Journal and Play!book, put the book back on the shelf and look at it again when I write my goals for the next year. Looking from the outside in, you may have already figured out my problem. Unfortunately it’s taken me a bit longer to figure it out. I too often find myself saying “Oh yeah, I forgot I set that goal! Well . . . I’ll just add it again this year.” That works - NOT! Losing 10-15 pounds usually tops the list! This year it’s time to stop the insanity and do things a bit differently.

Here’s my plan:
1) Figure out my goals and limit them to those I really want to accomplish. Do I really want to move that unfulfilled goal from last year (and probably years before) to my list for this year? Probably not. This year I want to limit the number of goals to four or five - not the fifteen or more I usually come up with.

2) Write them down. At least I’ve been doing this right. I once read a book by Henriette Anne Klauser called Write It Down, Make It Happen. Klauser says, “Simply writing down your goals in life is the first step toward achieving them. Writing them down is about clearing your head, identifying what you want, and setting your intent.” Notice she said it is the first step - not the only step.

3) Write out a step-by-step plan for each goal. This would be the second step Dr. Klauser talks about. This is the part I’ve skipped in the past. Have you heard another familiar quote “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail?” The reason I want to limit the number of goals I set is so I can spend time coming up with a realistic plan for achieving each one. Coming up with 4-5 step-by-step plans is much easier and less intimidating than 15 or more.

4) Keep my goals out where I can see them. I think putting my goals up on the shelf shortly after writing them has had something to do with me not achieving some of them. As my 12 year old would say, “Duuuhhh!” I have big index cards I’m going to use to help me do this. Instead of hiding them this year, I’m going to keep them out in the open. I’m sure there’s some fear of success lurking around in this whole process of hiding my goals, but that’s for a different column someday!

5) Ask someone to hold me accountable to these goals. Ask. “Ask” might just as well be one of those four letter words for me. It’s hard for me to ask others for help. As you’ll find out next week, I have some wonderful friends who are more than happy to help me when I ask them to. Writing down a goal is one thing. Saying it aloud and asking someone else to be a part of the achievement is another. Whenever I tell a couple of my friends what I hope to do . . . they are wonderful and relentless about helping me achieve my goal! Is it time for you to do some goal setting for this year too? There’s no better time than right now to get started. Happy New Year!

Until next week . . . God bless you and yours! -Maddie

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Coffee With Maddie: Archive;
Blessings
Magazine Junkie!
Maddie Goes to College
Changes
Let the season begin!
Getting Older!
I'm Getting Fat!
I Love a good book!
Family Games
Manners!
Someone to Love
A Special Anniversary

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About the Author;
Maddie is a dear friend from the Midwest who will touch your heart with her gentle stories of home of family. You can just picture yourself at the kitchen table any early morning with Maddie, a fresh cup of coffee, maybe the smell of bacon in the air, and a log on the fire to take out the chill.

Talk to Maddie at ...
Maddie@boomerjournals.com