Distinctions on Goal Planning:
Turn Your ''Some Day'' Dreams into Real Goals
By Wendy Buckingham
Do you have a little pile of ''some day''
dreams under your pillow? Some day I'll
travel to... Some day I'll write about.
Some day I'll handle my fear of. Some day I'll
change careers or start my own business - and so
on and so on.
I have had quite a pile under my pillow for many
years. Some day I'll write a book; some day I'll go
to South America; some day I'll go in the City to
Surf fun run; some day I'll get really fit.
What Changed?
What changed my some days into firm goals was
contemplating the approach of the new
millennium which just happened to coincide with
one of those milestone in-your-face birthdays. The
sort of birthday that had me pondering on the
passing of the years and asking myself where had I
been and where did I still want to go. The future,
and the year 2000 that had stretched so far into
the distance when I was younger, was suddenly
here and finite. I realised that if I didn't do
something soon about those some day dreams,
they could easily turn into regrets for what might
have been.
So the year 2000 has seen me turning some of my
most special some day dreams into goals with
deadlines. I've written my book, READY,
STEADY, GOAL! (as I write this it is at the
printers) and I already have orders to fill. I
completed the Sydney City to Surf (walking, not
running - I never dreamt I would run!). And by
the time you read this I will have left for a world
business/pleasure trip that will culminate with
three weeks in South America - up the Amazon,
trekking the Inca Trail, Machu Puchu - the full
dream come true. To do this I have had to get
fitter than I have been in years and do some
serious therapy work around a phobic fear of
heights and falling.
Let Go and Take Action
I decided it was about time to let go of some goals
that were so stale they almost smelt and that I was
simply not prepared to put the hard yard in to
achieve. Goals that were ''oughts'' and ''shoulds''
and were not necessarily in line with my core
values.
So my question to you is - What some day dreams
do you have? Is it time to turn them into strong
time-framed goals? I invite you to imagine you are
20 years older and visualise looking back on your
life. What do you want to remember about your
life? How do you want to be remembered? Do
you want there to be regret for the muddle of
dreams you kept putting off and projects you
never got around to, or the elation and satisfaction
of challenge, experience and final achievement?
The choice is yours.
As the late explorer Paddy Pallin said: "The only
trips I ever regret are the ones I didn't do."
Wendy Buckingham 2000. All rights reserved.
Wendy Buckingham is a writer, speaker and coach and author of the Ready Set Goal Series. She is dedicated to passing on the strategies she has developed for achieving goals and a more productive and enjoyable lifestyle.
If you would like to know more about her speaking and coaching, or preview and order her books, visit her website www.wendybuckingham.com.au or drop in to her goal achieving blog goalachieving.wordpress.com
Distinctions on Goal Planning
Turn Your ''Some Day'' Dreams
into Real Goals
by Wendy Buckingham
What some day dreams
do you have? Is it time
to turn them into strong
time-framed goals?
