Friday Morning Message

Goal Setting

“He who deliberates firstly when taking a step, will stand forever with one leg in the air” Chinese Proverb.

Recently I interviewed a prospective nursing student who said something that impressed me. She is a fairly recent immigrant from Haiti, and she described how she set herself goals: first to improve her English, then to become a certified nursing assistant, and after one year of work she was to enroll in nursing school. So here she was.

I realized that she would be successful because she didn’t set her goal too high. She set small goals that she could achieve, to move on to the next step. Many times we have lofty dreams and aspirations that we never even come close to achieving. They remain as dreams, and we run the risk of looking back with regret at paths not taken.

I have always loved to write. Many years ago I began a novel. Chapters were written and rewritten, but ultimately other priorities took over, and it was abandoned. Recently, after beginning to put my Friday Morning Messages on a blog, I decided to put a chapter or two of my novel on another blog (“Life in Black and White”). I had no idea what the reception would be. Feedback was positive, and with encouragement I added my previously written chapters, until I had to start creating more and more.

The novel is now almost complete, although presently the demands of a certain upcoming Clarendon College event have pushed it aside. But the lesson learnt is that by aiming for small attainable goals, I am close to achieving that longtime dream of writing a novel.

The overweight, out of shape person who joins a gym expecting to turn into that buff, toned, muscleman overnight, will be sorely disappointed. When we don’t see those big results it is easier to give up. But if instead we set small goals which are realistic and attainable, not only do we progress, we also have the satisfaction of accomplishment. And gradually, one bite-sized goal at a time, we realize our big goals.

We all cannot be Olympic gold medalists, nor best-selling novelists! But rather than standing with one foot in the air, let us work on smaller, attainable goals, and who knows where they may lead!

Have a great weekend, family! Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible next weekend in South Florida!

One Love!