By nature I am a goal setter and achievement oriented, but I have become aware that sometimes we set goals over which we think we have control, but in reality have no control or very limited control.
So this year as I was doing some planning I began to put my goals in two columns – those I can control and those I can’t.
Can you believe how small the list was of ‘things I control’?!
Quite seriously – if you think you are in control then complete that same exercise and observe how much of life is dependent on others / the divine. I am wearying a little of the goal setting process, partly for this reason and partly because there is so much that is not measurable, specific etc that matters. I also find that the stuff I achieve that I didn‘t set out to achieve sometimes is more valuable than the stuff I focus on…
Having said that, i still found this post from Mike Bullard helpful in understanding the value of having some sense of direction and focus on the things we are seeking to achieve.
Through life and through some reading I did ages ago I have come to understand that having goals blocked by something / someone out of our control is one of the greatest areas that cause a person conflict.
The only goal that can’t really be blocked by something or someone is trying to be the best person, father, worker etc that God wants me to be. It has no boundaries, even if I’m on my death bed I can still try my best and no-one can block it.