Goals

My natural orientation is forward. Some have voiced their opinion that this is very Aquarian. I simply have seldom had a past or present that could compare with my imagination of the potential for the future. Call me an optimist.

Maintaining ongoing concrete goals, some mundane and some more life-encompassing, is a habit I developed in my nursing practice. Assisting patients from total disability to gradual independence is a profound activity. My work over the years has taught me the value of step-wise, persistent goal setting and achievement.

Many people set goals for themselves based on external expectations of parents, bosses or superego. Some become quite successful. Others lead lives stifled by their own sense of frustration and failure.

Knowing and accepting who I am has helped me greatly to set goals which bring me an increasing sense of freedom and competence. I am not always satisfied with my own talents or lack of talent, but I have learned to accept my limitations. Working within my limitations while honing my skills and talents, I am able to make progress with core goals in my life.

All this takes time, reflection and personal honesty. Time is horribly wasted in too many human lives. It is the most precious element of existence. Spending time in reflection or meditation pays off. It is a good investment. Personal honesty comes with routine meditation or reflection. How can you know yourself if you never spend quality time with yourself? Once you get acquainted with yourself, you can use precious time to get on with being and becoming the person you would like to be.

Another crucial element of goal setting and achievement in my life is organization of time. Current computer apps are very helpful for some. However, I wonder if they present too much information and too many options. I still write things down. Lists and a monthly calendar are mainstays on my desk. I have been using running to-do lists since I was in high school. Each morning, I revise and rewrite my list with priorities running top to bottom. Each evening, I review my list and cross out what I've done.

Keeping life simple helps. Many of my daily goals are very mundane. Taking care of the widgets and rubber bands of daily life, like a stocked refrigerator and an an organized, clean house, leads to greater efficiency in the more abstract areas of existence. As Japanese Buddhists maintain: Person and environment are one.

Well, another goal achieved. I have posted this entry in my blog. Now to my list and the other goals of the day and beyond.