December 29, 2013

"One Goal" (short essay to prepare for new year)


"One Goal" cji c/ork
Every single person who sets goals should have just one goal! This goal is predicated upon all others goals one might set in their life. It would be my expectation that one might meaningfully have thousands of goals. These could be found as either tangible or intangible goals. They should be in the six main areas of their life; family, social, physical, mental, financial and moral/ethical. Thus with goals in each of the six areas however one were to define them would be a mixture of both tangible and intangible. Secondary to this these goals should have a blend of short term, medium term and long term durations. Short term could be as short as one or two hours to up to three to four weeks. While medium term goals are usually from one month to one year. Long term goals could be from one year to any number of years especially where intangible goals are concerned.

Seems like a long way from just one single goal but bear with me a bit longer. Goals to be efficient need to be written and specific (see Paul J. Meyers) and be broken down in generally the following way. The initial part of a goal is for it to be written clearly and understandably so that one can see exactly what it is that they want to achieve. Part of the written clarification is whether the goal is tangible or intangible. Next to place it in a specific area of your life. Some may overlap – i.e. family and social, moral/ethical and financial – but one should pick the area best identified with the goal. Then one sets a date for the achievement of this particular goal. This is the date when you want to achieve the goal – it could be as short as a couple of weeks or many months or even years. (Note: for very short term goals less than a couple days – simply identifying it and listed it is usually enough.)

For every goal one has they follow the above pattern – until in each area of one’s life they’ve as many as ten or more – with some being tangible and intangible. Next when this initial stage is done – one then has to prioritize the goals they taken the time to write up for themselves. (Note: remembering even the list we make for daily things we want/need to do – we should prioritize them – this is so we get the most important done first – the less important may either wait till tomorrow or even another week.)

Once we’ve prioritized our goals we go to the next step of the process and this is to list all of the obstacles which stand between us and the achievement of each individual goal. Sometimes some are stymied by what this obstacles might be – i.e. sailing around the world would be easy – while baking a twenty tier cake might be more difficult. This is where I invoke the Funny Girl song, “Don’t Rain on my Parade” and allow some others who are usually negative what it is I’m trying to accomplish and they’ll invariably rain on my parade by telling me all the reasons I cannot accomplish this goal. Then I write down what they’re saying and see what it is I’ve missed.

Now that the obstacles are written down – I need to find the solutions to each obstacle! Again the idea of eating the elephant one bite at a time works very well in effective goal setting. Once the solutions are written down – I ask whether this is still a worthwhile goal for me at this time – if the answer is yes – I validate the date of accomplishment and make any adjustments which might be needful. Then comes the fun part of writing out each goal and that is to get photos, make drawings, cut out pictures so that I can see myself accomplishing the goal(s). With this I then write affirmations to go along with the pictures and apply the act as if principle. 

This may seem like a lot of work for one or even a thousand goals – however, one will learn that some need all of these step while others do not – especially the shorter range goals after one gets used to setting more than just one or two goals in their lives. In addition having all of this written down allows you to keep track of where you are in your progress – let’s say an example might be to read 20 books – 15 non-fiction and 5 fiction over the next six months. This would mean reading just over three book a month – and you just check them off as you read them. Keeping score is very important for then you know where you are and not just where you think you are.

Okay back to the one goal which determines all other goals! Throughout the Scriptures Heavenly Father and the Son (our Lord and Savior) are constantly referring to each of us with our families coming back to live with them (if you take the Scriptures literally and haven’t been led astray that only 5% is really factual the rest can summarized in Greek Philosophy). If this is the case – which I not only believe but know to be true – then our only real goal in mortality is to return to our Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son with our family intact (both our progenitors and our posterity). I reference 1 Peter 3:7 where it says, Husbands and wives are heirs together forever! Or one can review the many Scriptures where the Son talks of many mansions – and there are many more – which point unerringly to our having the right if we’re worthy to become like the Father and the Son and inherit eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom with them. Paul talks of this often and well as many of the Prophets.

Thus we should each have ‘one goal’ i.e. “At the end of my mortal probation I will return to my Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son our Lord and Master Jesus Christ – with my extended family in the Celestial Kingdom to dwell with them for time and all eternity as an eternal family.” This is a tangible goal the Scripture tells us it is so – and we know when it will occur at the end of our mortal probation. We know the obstacles; i.e. to be found fully obedient to all of the Commandments, Statutes and Laws as set forth by the Father, the Son and their representatives here on this earth known as Prophets and Apostles (called by them only). We know the solutions to the obstacles begin and end with learning what all of the Commandments, Statutes and Laws are that were to be obedient in full with in our lives. Pictures, photos, drawings can all be made representing this return and the affirmation’s can easily be stated.

Why this one goal? This one goal is the key to the rest of our mortal lives – in that – every other goal we’ll set will either take us closer or further away from the accomplishment of this on single goal. Thus as we set the daily, monthly, yearly goals in our life the one paramount question will always be – will this bring me closer to the obedience needed or further away. We then have a simple decision tree whereby we can reject some goals out of hand – while pursuing those which bring us closer.

Dating, what to do or not do – all become quite clear – our mode of dress – what music we listen to – what movies we watch – how we obey in keeping the Sabbath Day holy – all these areas of our lives become much more simplified based on what importance we place on what the Father, the Son and the Prophets/Apostles have taught us throughout time and continue to do so today. 

Hopefully this helps one and all as we prepare for another very difficult year – and our planning and modifications we each need to make in our lives as we relate to the worldly around us.

In the name of Jesus Christ – amen  - c/ork

“One Goal”

cji
12/30/13

Perhaps just a myth
these lives just time
decaying upon death
without value or love
empty as some teach
without body or parts
without emotion to feel
in total rejections to be
or just perhaps this:
Meaning and loving
Our Father preparing
places for each of us
families to be eternal
as Prophets teach
worthiness/obedience
self-worth and value
moral and virtuous
eternal and forever
with accomplishing
just one goal only
to return to Father!

Copyright © 2013 – cji


No comments: