goal setting

I like to set goals. The key to goals that work are first that they only involve me. They can't be dependent on another persons cooperation. When I set a goal that involves the cooperation of someone else, typically it is a set up for failure and resentment towards that other person. I can't control someone else, and unless my goal is something they themselves want also, it is not going to work. 

Goals also need to be specific, measurable, attainable, and time accountable. I used to set these pie in the sky goals like, I want to be happily married. The problem with a goal of being happily married is that first it involves my husbands cooperation for success, and how do you measure happiness? It's a moving target. A goal that follows the specific, measurable, attainable, and time accountable, is. "I am going to show my husband love this week by making his tea every morning, and giving him a kiss." I am very happily married, however my goals involving my marriage, are not for a happy marriage, but rather to show love and gratitude to my husband every single day. 

My goals in life are about me and what I can accomplish or change. As soon as I began making goals with the criteria that I described above, wrote them down, and then told someone, my odds for achieving those goals went dramatically up. I set short term goals, and long term goals,  but which ever they are they are part of my quest to live a more intentional meaningful contented life. And I am!! Life is so good.....and I am happy!