Daily writing prompt

How do you plan your goals?

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Perhaps goal planning isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. People like to set (and even to write down) all types of goals that fail to motivate them to take decisive, direct, and consistent action. Those goals do little more than produce frustration and discouragement.

However, there is another way to find goals than by setting them for yourself. That way is much more effective and motivating. That is the way of goal recognition — of the balancing necessity in front of you and the passion within you.

I ask myself two questions: 1) “What do I need to do for today and tomorrow and for the future of myself and those I care about?” and 2) “What am I deeply passionate about doing and how can that help me answer question #1?

Those two questions are about goal recognition, not about goal setting. Goal setting tends to be mostly based on our superficial desires (like what people will think about us or how much money we want to make) and not based on a fuller view of what we and our dependents truly need. Also, goal setting is frequently based on feelings of obligation and often overlooks the deeply meaningful desires that come from the depths of our heart. That’s why we usually aren’t consistently motived by goals that we set for ourselves.

However, goal recognition can set a fire in your heart that will keep you moving and working until you arrive at the vision, and it manifests visibly in your life. Why not ask yourself the two questions today and begin to discover the goals that are waiting for you to recognize them and to implement their peace and joy in your life and in the lives of those around you?

Here’s a simple summary. For goal recognition, embrace your responsibilities with creativity while you embrace your passion with joy and let them work together to show you the goals that will put a fire in your heart.