GOALS: FOUR THINGS

It's been a while since I gave an update on my 101 goals.  Today is day 392.  Which leaves me 609 days to get things done for this project.

Instead of reviewing exactly how many goals I have completed thus far and what I am currently working on, and so on, I want to write a bit a bit more in depth about this project. 

Here are four things that have helped this project to be a blessing to my life:

1.  MY LIST WAS WRITTEN WITH CARE

I didn't write my list in an hour or even a day.  Writing my list was a project in and of itself.  I took the time to really think about the areas of my life that I wanted to make/keep as priorities and the areas where I desired change.  

It feels good to work on these things because I have already taken the time to think out/decide that these are areas of importance in my life.  Any progress that I make on them is progress toward a better life in general.

2. IT'S ABOUT PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

Six hundred and ten days from now, I will not have all 101 of these goals completed and I am completely okay with that. 

Sure, crossing all 101 things off of the list would be awesome.  It would make January 20 of 2016 a pretty cool day.  I could celebrate the accomplishment of completing this project and know that I had made some big strides in life.

But, the value that I see in this project is in its intentionality, not its completion. 

3.  WORK ON SOMETHING EACH DAY

I read through my list regularly.  (Two to three times per month, on average.)  Reading through the list keeps me motivated and keeps me on-task. 

How this project really works for me is in offering pre-planned / pre-approved projects for me to work on when I have extra time.  I use it as a resource list for filling my days with worthwhile activities.  

I understand that some people like to choose only a few goals to focus on at a time (and that is totally legitimate), but I love having a long list because I am a bit fickle with my time and interests.  I will often spend a long afternoon or even a week totally focusing my free time on one activity.  The next week, I will hop to a different project.  The third week I could be back to the first or starting project number three.  I am a project hopper. 

4.  CROSSING THINGS OFF FEELS GREAT

A long list equals a lot of opportunities to get things done and crossed off.  Each time I do it, I feel great and I am motivated to do more.  Again, my long list is a helper in this process.  When I cross something off, I have a sizable list of options to direct that extra jolt of energy toward.

Crossed off goals also serve as proof of my progress.  When I am feeling low, a read-through of my list helps me to see that all of my little actions are adding up to something bigger.   

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I am thankful for this project and all that it has pushed me to accomplish.  It has been a blessing to my life for the past several years and I'm confident that I will make up a new list as this one moves toward its expiration date.