HOW TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS
What is your goal today? If you are like me, you get out of bed each morning, check your clock, the weather, and your to-do list. Armed with plans, maps, and resolutions, we have a sense of where we intend to go, not only for the day but also for our lives. (Photo by Estee Janssens on Unsplash)
Nowhere on the list is a diagnosis, an unexpected job loss, or the end of a relationship. A pandemic doesn’t even come onto our radar!
Most often, our goal is to get somewhere – a place, an achievement, a deeper understanding of our world. And we want to get there quickly, so we have time to go somewhere else afterward.
I wonder if the person with the most goals completed at the end of life is wealthier than someone who lives each moment as if it is their last.
I once had plans to become a doctor, but I never made it to that destination. My wants and vision changed along with circumstances. No longer thinking a lot about what I will become in ten years, I ask myself what I will be today. Creative? Kind? Generous?
I set my compass and set out to move into the Mystery of life one step at a time. Oh, I still have vision and intention, but I know every road has its detours.
Do you remember an old Tex Ritter song from the 1940’s “Should Have Read That Detour Sign”?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOALS CHANGE
In the 1960s, my goal was to get a degree at the University of Maine.
And then the roadsigns popped up – Detour Ahead. Yield. Stop. Merge Right. Bridge Under Repair. Is there no better way to get ahead? (Photo by Lachlan Donald on Unsplash)
What I failed to recognize early in the game is that goalposts can move. Constantly. And there are few rules in the game.
Perhaps you had dreamed of going to Switzerland this year. You saved and planned and packed for the vacation to end all vacations. And a pandemic arrives. Who moved those goalposts?!!
Have you had the experience of setting out to lose weight and finding yourself 10 pounds heavier instead? “But THIS is not where I was headed!”
Don’t get me wrong. I still believe in roadmaps. What has changed, though, is the speed limit.
LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN
When younger, I drove to arrive as soon as possible. Why waste time on the highway? Well, not only did I miss the scenery, I often missed my destination if I was in unknown territory – not to mention the dangers. (Photo by Kimi Lee on Unsplash)
Life itself is a foreign land. How we journey through it does matter.
I like to take any journey walking mindfully. One step at a time. Slo-o-owly. Aware of my breath. Awake to the silence of falling snow or a tumbling leaf. To rush is like hitching a ride on a rocket ship, soaring above the world and all its problems, leaving me rather ‘spaced out.’
Have you ever taken a walk where you had nothing specific to accomplish? No one to see? Nothing to get? No goal to meet? Some people call it ‘strolling.’ I meander a lot, physically when I go to the grocery store and mentally when I sit in front of my computer. However, strolling can be more mindless than mindful!
A mindful walker savors walking. And breathing. And enjoying the scenery. Aware of destination, but focused on each moment.
Metaphorically we can walk through life with awareness if we aren’t breaking speed limits. In any case, we all arrive at the same destination in the end. No choice about that. How we get there is the question.
WHAT IS THE GIFT OF ‘SLOW?’
SLOW IS
- is where we awaken to beauty, experience sunrises, and pick daffodils.
- is where we hear nuances in music and taste flavors in our food.
- allows an intimacy with creation.I often bump into myself whipping through my appointments, chores, and intentions – intentions based on accomplishing some ‘thing.’ What if I were to release all these things and walk with no plan, no goal, no destination?
I know the wisdom preached by high-performance gurus.
“If you don’t have a goal, how will you know if you get there?”
And
“A goal without a plan is just a dream.”
My responses to the gurus are,
“If I arrive at my goal and miss the whole journey, will it have been worth it?”
And
“A life without dreams is depressing!”
Surely there must be a way to accomplish both.
THE BEST APPROACH TO FINDING SUCCESS
The best approach is “BOTH-AND”—a map or plan PLUS intimate time with creation throughout the journey.
A time to dream. A time to savor.
Mystery’s sights and sounds are gentle whispers unheard over the roar of rocket ships or the cacophony of demands and deadlines. The secret is not to fear going slow.
My favorite mantra, “THE TURTLE WON THE RACE!” helps me stay balanced between goals and dreams. It reminds me ‘Slow’ is OK. (Photo by Cedric Fox on Unsplash)
STAYING GROUNDED AND CENTERED
Another thing I know about turtles is they are grounded! Can you imagine a turtle stumbling or falling?
When I feel grounded, I know where I am standing, and I feel balanced in any situation. When my feet touch the earth and my heart extends to a Power beyond the cosmos, centeredness happens.
The problem is, I cannot stay grounded and go full speed ahead at the same time. Or can I?
The challenge in this oxymoron is knowing where to begin.
Many thought leaders will direct a process of starting the day with goal setting and a to-do list.
It reminds me of an eager horse, stamping at the starting line of a race, anxious to get to the end to win the gold cup. I wonder if it isn’t wiser to slow down enough to whisper to the horse, connect with his spirit, and trust the process to carry me. (Photo by Rene Lehmkuhl on Unsplash)
How do you go about meeting your goals? Are you hoping to stay grounded on the back of a horse, clinging to his neck as you race through life? Or do you prefer ‘chatting with turtles’ as you watch the sunrise? Remember, they both get to the finish line.
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The Art of Slow
How to Find Time for Spiritual Practice
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