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I am not a typical goal setting person. I have always been the one with broader ideas in mind, want things pre-planned but not too much in advance, do not like last minute glitches because it ties the stomach in knots but goals are a far cry. In fact, earlier I used to get baffled when people talked about setting their resolutions, their ambitions at the start of the year. After all you don’t need a new year to form resolutions and stick to them. What’s wrong with day to day goals?
But I find more sense in it now. Call it maturity or the popping of grey hairs on the scalp that have brought some wisdom too, I now revel in the reason why people form goals at the beginning of a year.
With a new year, there is always a chance at a clean slate that you are yet to write on, smudge, wipe and rewrite. It is fresh, shining and blank waiting for the imprints and that makes you even more purposeful with your first steps. A chance at a new beginning, if you may say so. A chance at catching the breath and looking at what you have done and what you can do to make things better. And a piece of paper to remind you to not lose sight of things that mean something to you.
So what’s wrong with day to day goals?
Nothing, if they lead to a bigger goal. But if not, you miss the bigger picture.
I tend to do that. I get so busy in my day to day goals that I lose the grip of the bigger picture. And this year, my goal is not to do that. So I am picking up a paper and writing in big bold words to not lose focus. They may not be the brightest of the goals. They can be as simple as having dinner dates with friends I longed to catch up on or finding a connect with a part of me that has become extinct over the years, the point is to keep myself aware of not ending up regretting wasting another year that I didn’t try or simply forgot.
So this year I am going to try till it hurts, I am going to keep a list stuck to my fridge on one of the A B C magnets to keep going back to, I am going to give myself a fair chance, I am going to make an effort to make peace with the upheavals in my heart, I am going to prioritize and not fall in the trap of doing multiple things at a time and I am not going to give up.
So this year, this not so typical goal setting person is doing something different –setting goals. So cheers 2013, I am embracing you with open arms.
I hope you are doing the same
“I get so busy in my day to day goals that I lose the grip of the bigger picture.”… happens with me too
I think writing down your goals is a good idea… keeps them in focus. All the best
I think so too. Thanks Lifesong
Absolutely!! I am doing the same. And so very true. We think of doing so many things and end up doing nothing… so lost we are in our daily affairs
Exactly. The longer sight is totally lost in my case. Need to revive it.
That by itself is a great resolution to set goals.Resolutions are just reminders or signposts along your journey in the year about what you wish to achieve..They cannot compel but can persuade.
Best wishes,Jas,
Very rightly said Mr. KP -signposts along the journey. Ya they cannot compel but provide a constant reminder.
Thanks Mr. KP
You are going to be my inspiration Jas. I have never set any goals, none for my personal life. Last two years were even worse. I lost focus.. got lost and yet here I am again, not making any goals for this year too. I think I would need some more time to bring myself to that stage where, I would set goals and put them on the fridge too
All the very best with your goals
That’s big words. Introspection is the first step which I did over the last few days and looked back at the year that went by. So thought this time I will not just have the things in my mind but will write them down to put pressure on me
Thanks GB
Ah, it is too easy to get caught up in the demands of everyday life (particularly when one is trying to run a household) that we forget that some of those demands are really trivial and don’t really contribute much to our bigger goals. I too am guilty of this.
To think about goals and resolve to focus on them is a worthwhile undertaking for the year.
A happy 2013 to you, Jas!
I hope I can stick to this one Tita
happy new year to you too and its really good to see you back after a long time.
New year resolutions have never worked with me. I just don’t seem to give it much importance. But what you say is right – we need to have a larger picture in mind and our daily goals should be in tune with them.
Destination Infinity
I think I am very haphazard with goals so this time I am trying to be little organized to see what difference it brings.
I am often in that situation too, just trying to check things as done, and really not enjoying them or even realizing why I am doing it in the first place. This year one of my goals is to prioritize. And writing them down on paper – the good old way really helps.
The good old way really helps… Typing them is far more different than actually writing them so I am going the old fashioned way
Happy New Year
And Yes I am doing the same….there are so many small small things that I want to change that I know I shud change but am just plain lazy in taking them on…so this year is for them
Glad that you are recognizing them and planning to do something about them. To health and achieving goals
Happy new year to you too Smita.
Good for you! That is just the right spirit!
Hoping to keep the right spirit till the end of this year
wishing you all the best with your goals , Jas! Do share as you go along!
Thanks Rosh
I hope to keep ticking them off my list.
Even I am a no resolution person! But it is great if you can set goals and stick to them too…All the best!!
I am trying this time.. Let’s see where it takes me. Thanks Meenakshi.
Hi Jas,
A small morning surprise to a very deserving writer: askjaspreet@gmail.com
Sorry for the blunder:
Liebster Award
Awww…. thanks so much
Way to Go Jas and Good Luck with your goals
Thanks Jaish
//So this year I am going to try till it hurts//
I love your spirit!! Wishing you success with your goals, Jas.
I hope to keep pampering this spirit and really try
Thanks scribblehappy.
Wishing u loads of luck
Happy 2013!
And so true that about the big picture
Thanks Swaram
Hope I don’t lose the focus.
Happy New Year Jas.
I am not a very Goals oriented person but I guess its good to have them if they work for you.
Thanks Amit. I am also the same but this time I am trying the goal fixing way to see where it takes me
All the best with what you have set as your goal.. This year I have not made any resolutions apart from praying that god gives me the wisdom to be a good human being..
I guess my white hair are bringing wisdom too FINALLY..
although i do think that small goals towards a BIG GOAL is always a good idea , like one can set a small monthly goal to achieve to cater for that one big goal that you want end of the year , that way it becomes easier as getting to the smaller goal is easier and it brings happiness once achieved nad I am sure that will help in keeping focus too ..
See here i go Telling .. the white hair are grwoing faster on me it seems Now I am telling people issssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I am sure by now there is a big mop of white hair on your head
Thanks Bikram. Always love your comments.
My yearly goals usually take up the next year to finish
I have an idea in my mind that so and so things should finish up and by the time they are eventually over, it has taken more time than thought of
I follow monthly goals for less taxing stuff
So, whats your most recent goal
hahaha
Start exercising more regularly as I am running the risk of developing a halwai type paunch
Yearly goals make you lazy since you have ample time to postpone them. That ways day to day goals are better. Having said that, it all depends on your commitment level and the kind of pressure you have!
Happy New Year, Jas. May you achieve all your goals!
That was me, Nish. I don’t understand this Gravatar. Sometimes it posts my name. At other times it just posts my id.
That’s what I was wondering who is this nst2.. some kind of secret agent name
Ofcourse they do but having an yearly goal and then breaking them into day to day goals keep you focused.
Great start to the year… clarity of goals and the desire to follow it till the last is half the battle won.. All the best.. Happy new year Jas!
Thanks M. Keeping up this desire and not losing the steam is another goal
Jas, I am like you..goal free person..I thought I will do the same this year, nahh..did not do yet..if I do it before this wknd, then it is written or else not..okay, good luck to you to achieve all your small or big goals and may this year bring more peace and good health.
I hope so too… more peace and more health and more progress
Happy 2013, Jas. May all your goals come true/
Thanks Kay Em. A very happy 2013 to you as well.
good luck to your goals!
I am a very list person, everyday starts with a list:)
Really? For me making a list is a task in itself
All the very best Jas
I am very much a by-instinct-and-impulse person but I love to have a wishlist though
I love ticking things off the list but I need one goal that says “make lists”
How do you know the first stick-on on my laptop says this??
make a list
hehehehehe! birds of a feather I guess
Certainly
I am a very disorganised person who does things as she remembers them, unless of course they are urgent or deadline oriented. So no goals for me
Here is wishing you all the best in the new year to achieve whatever you set out to do!
Thanks Zephyr. May be I can change my habit
True. Earlier I used to question the very concept of new year resolutions. But now, I realize it is an opportunity we present to ourselves to start anew
Way to go Jas! Yes, in the daily mundane schedule of things, it is so important to set goals for us long term – to be able to rise above the usual work, home, blogs, Facebook, daily rituals and such! 2012 that way, was my best year so far with respect to following my heart and really doing certain things – they didn’t last too long but 3 months is still better than how I fared earlier
I’m thinking of kickstarting it this year too! On a similar note, not related to goals, but making a fresh start, I penned a post too!
Wish you all the very best in achieving your small and big goals for 2013!
I’m so so so bad at this, Jas. I’m not the resolution-making-breaking kinda person, but I do think about little somethings that I want to achieve in the new year. I’m never able to achieve any, given the lazy-bum I am! I need to better myself at this. Maybe, this can be my goal for 2013.
Yes this can definitely be your goal for 2013
Lovely post, Jas. You are so right about the ease with which it is possible to miss the bigger picture. I must not lose sight of mine!
Yeah Jas.. I am not a typical goal setting kind of person either. I also tend to embrace what comes my way. But I totally agree.. having those little goals makes a lot of sense and we get enormous satisfaction when we accomplish those tiny little things which give us lots of happiness. And it also gives us more focus and slowly but steadily helps us to achieve those bigger goals. So it is great that you are doing it and all the very best. Go for it!
I set goals and the ways to achieve that goals and that’s how the time is utilised. Not in action so to say. So, I am just going with the flow and grabbing every opportunity.
All the best Jas..How is going so far? And btw I like the day to day goal setting idea..
Bad. Holding on to the fizzle.
Best of luck, Jas! I am doing nothing much to whatever I’d decided to do. I am not a very organised person to write down lists, pin them up and stick by them..At the most I do is broadly classify my goals- that too not on paper- and hope that they get ticked off
Well, the post-it of making a list is still stuck to my laptop so you can guess where I am heading
excellent,beautifully written, .wish you a happy new year.,
Thanks Veera
Good to have you here. Hope you keep coming back.
hey, finally getting a chance to catch up with your posts!! Best of luck with your all goals! I do make long term goals, but I find the end of the year (or the beginning or a new one) to be too random to set the clock ticking from that point! I make and set goals as I foresee changes or the need to change/improve!
Random but it seems to work