Do you set goals?
I often admire people who set long term goals and accomplish them. I have a buddy of mine who knew he wanted to be an airline pilot out of the womb, worked hard and became one. I have never been wired this way.
My thoughts and dreams were always changing. When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor, then a piano teacher, and then a chef. I guess you could say I formed action plans for each.. going to school, learning, and getting discouraged at some point. A doctor takes HOW MANY years to achieve? The suicide rate is DOUBLE that of the general population? A piano teacher only makes HOW MUCH money? A chef has to work HOW MANY hours in a kitchen? When will they sleep or have time for a family?
All the planning and goal setting came to a screeching halt, and anxiety and discouragement set in. Not to mention I still had to pay for student loans on something I would not achieve. You could say that you grow and learn from failures as well as successes, but all I was learning was that I was gonna be broke and had nothing to show for it.
Radio came as a fluke, but once the ball started rolling, I became more and more excited to set goals. As a newbie, my goals were simply wishes with no formidable plan. I wanted to meet Aerosmith, I wanted to broadcast from Disney World, and I wanted to meet Jenny McCarthy. I was young, cut me some slack.
My first ever interview was actually with Aerosmith when I was 24 years old. A year later, I did a live broadcast from Disney World, and then in 2001 I got to broadcast from a Disney Cruise Ship in the southern Caribbean. Lastly, in 2006, I met Jenny McCarthy, even if it was only over the phone. 3 goals and no action plan. I can now retire.
I realize that my radio goals were simply luck or being in the right place at the right time, and life doesn't work this way. But I also know, that so often when I set a goal, something inevitably happens that prevents me from realizing it. Sometimes those things are self inflicted and I make excuses, but not always.
My life has changed since setting celebrity stalking, look-at-me goals, and perhaps yours has too. Gone are the days of wishing to meet Dave Grohl, and now my goals consist of health, intelligence to raise kids, patience, growing in my faith, and happiness. Some would say they are open ended non-specific goals, but I like them that way. Have you ever made long term goals, only to find that life gets in the way of achieving them? You start going to the gym on a regular basis and set a fitness goal, and your schedule changes or your kids get sick, stopping the routine you have been building and you cant get back to it and eventually give up? Instead of focusing on the long term goal of losing 50 pounds, focus on the short term goal of making it back once a month, then maybe once a week. Goals are meant to be finessed and tweaked, and what you set out for might change entirely by the end. That's the beauty of life..You have the ability to choose what works in the moment.
In short, don't make the heartache of an unrealized long-term goal define you. If you're wired to stay committed to the process and have unbelievable passion and dedication, congrats, this post isn't for you. People change and thoughts change, and don't be too hard on yourself if you were doing real estate yesterday, and today you wanna sell bottled water on a beach in Hawaii. Setting short term goals is the best way to grow your confidence so that maybe, just maybe, they will lead towards that ultimate goal. One that you have the ability to redefine should you need to.
Now, how do I meet the Foo Fighters on the 18th of May?
All my best as you figure out life and the relationships in it xoxo Glenn
