My memories of the holidays are a bit hazy, thanks to working on a deadline for the next book set in Desperation, Oklahoma (#4!), but one thing I remember was that no New Year’s resolutions were made while sipping champagne. I learned a long time ago that they were too easy to break. Instead, I make goals.
Aren’t goals the same as resolutions? Not to me. The words aren’t the same, although they’re sometimes used synonymously. A resolution is something one tries to keep or not to break, while a goal is something one works toward to achieve. See the difference? It’s all in the way the two words are used. One is negative. The other is positive. It’s a mind game I play.
The especially nice thing about goals is that they can be achieved by doing them in steps of smaller goals and spread out over weeks, months, or the entire year. Even longer for a lifetime goal! Success is much easier to measure than failure, and easier when done in bite-sized pieces. Just remember that goals should only be something we can control.
So what are my goals for this year? To tell the truth, I’ve been too busy with my first goal—to reach that deadline—that I haven’t had a chance to think about what I need and want to do in specifics. My first goal is to do that, starting next week. But I do know my goals will include:
1. Taking more time to relax and enjoy myself
2. Getting more exercise
3. Cleaning my house (ugh!), especially my office
I’ve already been thinking about the steps I’ll need to reach those goals. Less time at the computer will give me more time to watch TV with my family, read, and take that treadmill I bought a year ago out of the box (see #3--cleaning house and office), and I can watch movies--my favorite form of relaxation--while I’m exercising on it.
It’s taken some time, but I finally discovered I’m a goals person, not a resolutions person. Which are you? And how will you make 2010 a personal success?
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6 comments:
Hi Roxann. I'm a goal person too. And I don't even have to tell other people what they are for them to drive me nuts. I'm my own taskmaster. Harder on myself than others would be for sure.
But I think you are right. Goals are something positive to strive for and the one step at a time thing is so much easier.
Oh, I rarely tell anyone else what my goals are. Some are so small (and crazy!), no one else would understand.
Great post. I have similar thoughts on resolutions/goals, and it was nice to see it put so well.
I am a goal person. My goal for 2010 is to get my bedroom painted. Have lived here almost 3 years and still haven't gotten around to it.
I'm definitely a goal person because no matter what resolution I used to make I never kept it. So I stopped making them. One goal I have this year is to get my room organized.
I don't make resolutions and I don't even call them goals anymore. I just say, this year I'd like to eat healthier. That way I don't beat myself up over it if I don't follow through.
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