This is a post about goal-setting.  I’m really bad at it.  Not posting.  Goal-setting.  (Although a case could be made for both…).

A few years ago I talked myself out of goal setting because:  1) I am an adult…I have already done most things that adults are supposed to do 2) I’m off the hook because of #1.  And deep down, I think that I am afraid that I won’t keep the goals so why write down a page of failures before the year even begins?  That would be foolish. I can’t begin to recount the number of times that I have determined to make a change and then poof! I simply don’t do it.  It could be something as simple as, “I am going to start getting up at 6 am-starting tomorrow.”  Then the alarm goes off at 6 am and I decide to rest for a few more minutes.  I have been through this cycle of mental goal-setting enough to know that writing it down would be insanity!  On the other end of the spectrum and in a moment of flattery, I might pretend that I am so driven that I will become a slave to my goal and it will start to  preempt relationships and other important things in my life -and that IS a legitimate reason to NOT set goals.  ‘There has to be fluidity in family life and goal-setting might introduce rigidity.’  We can’t have that. Besides, I am ‘anxiously engaged in good causes’ (see DAC 58:27) so I am going to make progress by default, right?

You can see that I have placed myself in a very careful mental place where I can make progress without setting goals.  So far, so good.

Until I hear and read things like this:

“Make a goal for temple attendance, let nothing stand in the way…without routines our lives become a collection of good intentions…”  Lynn G. Robbins, Ogden Temple Dedication, September 21, 2014

“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  And out of small things proceedeth that which is great…”DAC 64:33

“If we have a failing or weakness, this is where we should concentrate, with a desire to overcome, until we master and conquer…” Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 235

“What we insistently desire, over time, is what we will receive in eternity…only by educating and training our desires can they become our allies instead of our enemies…” Randall Ridd, Ensign May 2014, p 56-8

“Decide today to be the master of your own house…” Jorg Klebingat, Ensign Nov 2014, p 34-6

So much for letting myself off of the hook.  Looks like I’m hanging again…but this past year I have been thinking a lot about the true principles of goal-setting and I believe that I have come up with a few.  Stay with me for the next few days and see if there’s something here for you.  I think that I finally have found the courage to set some goals.