Shoot for the moon—even if you miss it, you will land among the stars. ~Les Brown
Where do you see yourself regarding your goals? Are you taking aim? Do you have a target in sight? Have you been focused on the same goal(s) for so long, you are hitting bulls-eyes every time?
If you’re hitting the bulls-eye every time, you’re standing too close to the target. ~Scott Ginsberg
Or … Perhaps you have merely perfected your aim? Finding the balance between {reaching for the stars} and {avoiding mediocrity} and {reality} can sometimes be tricky! 
We all know what it feels like to over shoot, over-plan and over commit. Doing any of these {or all 
} causes us to lose sight of our personal capabilities, our limitations — and even our personal heart’s desires.
We begin to wander or fall victim to unrealistic expectations. Sometimes we even start following other people’s dreams and definitions of {success}. On the other end of this spectrum — mediocrity lures us with flashy promises of {good-enough}. 
Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ~Louisa May Alcott
Three years ago my life changed dramatically due to circumstances beyond my control. What I discovered in the midst of the temporary chaos {more than redeemed} the cost of the pain and confusion. Moving through that time {burned away the chaff} — it clarified my dreams and aspirations and fueled my focus. And I decided what I wanted to be when I grew up!
When a dream takes hold of you, what can you do? You can run with it, let it run your life, or let it go and think for the rest of your life about what might have been. ~Patch Adams
Ask yourself:
- What do I {truly} want to be? Am I doing what I choose to do? Or am I chasing someone else’s dream?
- Where do I see myself regarding my goals in one week? In one month? In one year? In five years? In ten years?
- Am I afraid to set goals? Am I discouraged because I have goals that remain dormant? How can I change that — starting today?
Are you stretching yourself?
Related:
One of the biggest challenges in trying to accomplish any personal goal is that we tend to put them off until tomorrow, or next week, in favor of more pressing matters at work and home. … Unfortunately, tomorrow never gets here.
- Personal Goal Setting [Exceptional how-to article! Practical and specific regarding the process of determining and achieving a balance of goals: artistic; attitude; career; education; family; financial; physical; public service.]
The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also quickly spot the distractions that would otherwise lure you from your course.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I love it! Earlier this week I was asking myself many of these same questions and compiled a list of dreams, goals, and desires. It was a moving experience to allow myself to just day-dream wildly and then write those things down. There were even tears as I verbalized for the first time dreams that were buried deep withing…so deep that I had not recognized them.
It is amazing what joy can come from dreaming dreams that seem “too big” or lofty. Shoot for those stars!
There were several aspects I wanted to comment on, but I chose one.
Please explain what you meant to convey with this metaphor—since each day of the year has the same length; unless you were referring to the amount of daytime. If you meant the latter, how does having more sunlight provide the collective “us” with more GTD energy?
I think rediscovering the fun of summer is a great idea, I’ll check in to see what you are up to!
Celebrating with you, Julie! I liken the process of journaling the desires of our heart to planting seeds of thought and inspiration!
Jacob: I was referring to extended {daylight}. I am a morning person who loves to begin my days at {first light} … Thus, more daylight {and early} has proven to mean more productivity for me — and the collective “us” I work {and play} with!
Yay, Cindy! I look forward to learning how your summertime goals progress …
★ Tips for goal-setting:
- Create a visual {collage; a list; white board checklist}
- Be specific {to-do’s; dates-due-by; measurable}
- Determine priorities {keep first things first; focus on one task at a time; avoid multitasking}
★ GTD {Getting Things Done method rests on the principle that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them externally. That way, the mind is freed from the job of remembering everything that needs to be done, and can concentrate on actually performing those tasks. ~Wikipedia}
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