Recently, I interviewed a 67-year-old woman who wants to get her GED (grade 12 equivalent). I asked, “Why is this so important to you?” She said, “Because its the one thing in life that I want more than anything.”
Leaving school in the seventh grade, Maggie (not her real name) has lived her entire life in poverty. She worked odd jobs in her 20’s and 30’s as a dishwasher in restaurants but gave up because she couldn’t escape the constant abuse and harassment that followed her everywhere she worked.
Every day over the last 10 years, Maggie would gather her battered and beaten old school books and walk a few blocks to a local women’s shelter – where she sits at the dining room table and practices math, reading and writing. Without knowing how to move ahead, Maggie’s commitment to learning has kept her at a grade five level.
After seeing my presentation, she somehow found the courage to take the first step in asking for help in how she can achieve her dream.
The thing that stands between Maggie and her GED is “planning and commitment”. I’ll help her define her goals, give her the right tools and resources to set her up for success but it will be up to her to follow through to cross the finish line.
You can’t hit a target you can’t see
Think it’s too late for your dream? Setting goals to get there is a process that can start at any age and at any time.
Most people travel aimlessly through life without a map – no real direction..just figuring things out along the way. Having goals are an important part of life. Without them you lack the inspiration to better yourself and your life.
Not reaching a dream has nothing to do with ability – it really comes down to lack of planning, goal setting and commitment to follow through.
All or nothing…
The reason why most people give up on or not even attempt to pursue the one thing that they dreamed about is because they feel that it has to be “all or nothing”. This is a sure way of getting nowhere fast. Without a plan of action, you will give up before you even get off the ground.
Ask yourself:
· What dreams have I put off forever, that I know are achievable?
· What attitudes are holding me back?
· What small steps can I take today to move towards achieving my dreams?
· Who can help me? What tools do I need to succeed this time?
The benefits of goal-setting is that you get to control the direction of change in your life. Setting goals, working toward them every day and ultimately achieving them is the key to happiness in life.
You have a choice to make…are you going to take a step in the right direction by setting a plan of action or are you going to just watch others pursue their dreams?
The Reasoning 