“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Henry David Thoreau
Week Two
This week’s exercise brings all the goals you are currently working on into view. You will find out where you are making progress and where you are drifting. You will also set yourself priorities for where you want to focus your attention going forward. The idea is to compare yourself with you and not with anyone else. You path is unique to you and will not ever completely match with another person’s journey. Making comparisons between what you have done and what others have achieved does not serve your growth. On the other hand, making comparisons on what is possible for you today compared to yesterday supports your own personal journey. Learning what you have improved upon and how you have grown will bring you faith in your own abilities.
Is the outlook for you brighter today than it was a year ago, or even 10 years ago? This exercise is about finding out about the road you are on, and where there might still be hold ups. It also reveals what success means to you.
1) Think about your experiences over the past 12 months or so, and carefully answer the following:
a. What was your biggest triumph?
b. What is the greatest lesson you learned?
c. Which person(s) had the greatest impact on your life?
d. What is the biggest risk you took?
e. What brought you the greatest joy?
f. What made relationship(s) in your life develop the most?
g. What else do you need to happen to be complete?
2) Turn your attention now to the next 12 months and answer these questions:
a. What would you like to be your greatest accomplishment going forward?
b. What advice would you give to yourself?
c. Where do you need support?
d. What challenge(s) are you taking on?
e. What things that bring you joy are you going to do?
f. Which person(s) are you most committed to loving and nurturing?
g. What would you most like to change?
This exercise benefits you by providing a snapshot of the progress you have made as well as what is remaining or your next steps. It increases your awareness of how you have grown and how you would most like to continue to develop. This also supports you in appreciating your achievements rather than focusing on what remains to be done.