My friend Tom Bakewell proudly shared a fabulous father-son moment he had with his son Myles, age 9. Myles had been working on his life’s goals (didn’t we all at age 9!) and although the list was long, Tom clearly recalled the first two: 1. Don’t get anymore paper cuts. 2. Always have a tree house.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Myles and his goals and trying to figure out what mine are and whether they are clear, measurable, achievable and inspiring.
Although I am going to leave the cure for cellulite to the scientists, my goals right now are 1. Pay off the mortgage 2. Walk 3 miles a day. If I keep walking, I figure I might be around to enjoy my mortgage-free domain. So far, I am in week 139 of wearing a pedometer. I should have started counting pedometers the way that McDonald’s counts hamburgers. I could have had a sign on my still large bottom reading, “27 pedometers used.” They have wound up in toilets, reported only 358 steps walked after 4 hours of waddling around Paris, and mysteriously just disappeared from my waist, never to be seen again. The mortgage goal was going quite nicely until Uncle Sam, not always my favorite uncle, wanted an extra $17,000. The other event that derailed that goal slightly was helping Frank and Laura buy an adorable house, which was a sheer joy. I am back on track, though, this month.
I heard a great speaker a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas when I was doing the keynote at The Director’s Convention, which was for credit union board and staff. Rory Rowland www.top100.com suggested that once you set goals, to post them.
I’m thinking a lot about Myles and Rory. Myles’ goals to take care of his digits and live part of his life in the trees awes me. I’m trying to figure out if my goals inspire me enough to make a statement about them and put them on my wall, as Rory suggests. Living debt free and being able to choose my work and make sure that Frank can do the same, and the ability to keep running through airports might just be wall-worthy.
