“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
As a child, what were some of your hopes and dreams? You may have followed through on these old dreams, or perhaps you moved in an entirely different direction in life once you reached adulthood. At times you simply followed along the course life took you, while on other occasions you planned, prepared, and worked toward your goal. Goals are for achieving and must be personal to be effective. It must be your goal and not one someone else has set for you.
Each of us lives within a defined life process, one that we create ourselves. Sometimes we choose short-term goals, while at other times we set lifelong challenges that we may not always achieve. Lessons are learned, and we move on. When you set goals for your future, you express faith in yourself. You trust in your ability to succeed. What is your history of dreams and goals?
Take time to review the following questions. Each serves as a clarifying point that dips into your mind’s recesses and helps you access long-forgotten memories. Some questions will resonate more than others. Allow one or two of them to serve as the basis for your thematic story or lead you to other observations that can power the narrative. Keep in mind that they are just guidelines.
You may think you are not a goal setter, but everyone keeps a list, mental or written, of things they plan to do or hope to accomplish. While some people love to make lists and cross things off as they are completed, others simply wing it through life. The following excerpt by Robert McKechnie shows that no matter how old you are, there’s always room for aspirations.
I’m seventy-one years old. Most people of this age think it’s time to plunk down into the La-Z-Boy, flip the feet up, and relax. If I had any sense, I’d join them. Be assured—I don’t have any sense. I have aspirations.
My old-age aspirations started several years ago. I started writing grant proposals to benefit the tiny high school where I served as the only guidance counselor. I succeeded in bringing in funds to purchase musical instruments. Now grant writing is in my blood. If things work out, I’ll be able to go anyplace in the world while working at the same time.
I want to enrich the home Kris and I share, making sure everything works and the household remains quiet, comfortable, and happy. At the same time, I would like to carve out more time for travel. I’m planning a month-long trip to Madrid next September.
My vision for the future also calls for enriching the lives of my son, his wife, and their twin daughters. I have two things in mind, a cruise from Barcelona to Athens and a trip to Disney World in Florida. I would love to spice it up a bit for them, helping them become a little worldlier and adding to their education in a way that is great fun for everyone. Financially this is out of reach now, but I envision a deeper prosperity in the future. Anything’s possible.
Yes, I have aspirations. When we moved to Palm Springs in 1997, I created “The I’m Not Dead Yet” program for myself. If the universe has given me life, I better use it. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if I’m given life but don’t use it to serve others and enjoy myself, I would be committing a sin. Death will come soon enough—too soon, actually. I’m ready to embrace life as never before. And I am grateful.
—Robert McKechnie
1. GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This exercise will help you focus on the importance of goal setting throughout your life. Some people were raised in a goal-setting environment, while others learned to achieve goals in different ways. Answer the following questions:
2. BUCKET LIST: Not everyone sets goals, but most still have things they wish to see or do before they die. Consider these unfulfilled desires your “bucket list” or “wish list.” On a separate sheet of paper, write down all the things you still wish to do in your lifetime. It may be to take a trip to the Great Wall of China or to hold your first grandchild. The important point is to simply write it down quickly without censoring your thoughts and ideas. Let your thoughts flow onto the paper no matter how impossible they may seem.
After you have written twenty to thirty items on your list, it is time to refine it and cross off the ones you are least likely to achieve. For instance, if you are in your seventies and have on your list to play quarterback for the UCLA Bruins, you should probably let that one go. Next choose one of the simpler items on your list and get started. Maybe you have written that you want to run a 5K. The first step would be to buy the running shoes and begin walking around your neighborhood. This will motivate you to continue to accomplish the items on your bucket list. Remember that the list is a work in progress and can change over time. New ideas will come to you, and some of the earlier ones will lose their attractiveness; if they do, cross them off the list. The point of the bucket list is to complete the tasks you have listed and attain self-fulfillment.