“If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.” – Zig Ziglar

This year I had the same conversation with two different people about goals.  To my surprise I learned that both people have never set goals in their life.  A life with out goals is mind-blowing, since my life has been about goals since I was girl.

My early years in education were a challenge.  I had a very hard time learning how to read.  I knew I was behind in my education and I hated every minute of it.  In second grade I learned about goals and their importance.  That lesson was timely because of the challenge I had in school.  Shortly after I set my first goal to be mainstreamed with my reading and writing.  Goal setting helped me to imagine a life outside of struggle and ultimately helped me over come my academic challenges.  As a result of achieving my first goal, goals and goal setting have become a big part of how I live my life.

I was very involved in high school and had opportunities to attend various leadership programs/camps.  I took every opportunity that came my way.  Towards the end of one program we had an activity to write a letter to ourselves.  We were to write about what we learned, our goals for leadership, goals for our organizations and personal goals for the coming school year.  I took the task to heart and really thought about what it was I wanted to accomplish.  In either the middle of the school year or end of the school year, I received that letter.  I used those letters to see what I achieved and track my  progress.

In 2009, Soul Sister introduced me to vision boards.  A vision board is a visual representation of the goals you want to achieve in a year.  Setting goals gets you one step closer to achieving your goals.  Talking about your goals gets you a step closer too.  And visualizing your goals makes the goals more focused and tangible.  That year I made a vision board that encompassed my goal to move to LA and work in the entertainment industry.  All the goals I set for myself came true in almost the way that I imagined.  Since then vision boards have been a big part of my life and I make one every year since.

This week I completed my vision board for the coming year with symbols of goals that I want in life and work.  I have set both short-term goals for the coming year and goals that are apart of my larger vision for my life.  As a result of 2013, I decided to be the boldest I have ever been with my goals.  I want the momentum I started in 2013 to continue through 2014.   I also want the seeds that I planted in 2013 to grow into something amazing that I can image or that is beyond my wildest dreams.

Today I received a letter this morning that I wrote via FutureMe.org.  Last year, Soul Sister mentioned that she wrote an electronic letter to her self which reminded me of my former camp tradition.  Intrigued, I wrote a letter last year on 12/31/2012.  I was surprised that I achieved all the goals that I set out to achieve.  I mentioned a few goals that are in progress of being achieved and goals that are premature.  Overall, I am impressed at the wisdom and calm of the letter and the belief that it would all work out.  Life always works out.  In last years tradition I am excited to write a letter to myself today that I will receive next 12/31/2014.

Do you set goals?  What are your goal setting traditions?