The Jude Thaddeus Program - Chapter 14

Long Term Goals

Go through the happiness lists and write down each long term goal. Do not worry about prioritizing or the fact that some will conflict with each other. We will eliminate the conflicting elements of time and other resources later in the chapter. Now it is time to create a master list. Leave lines between each long term goal so you can complete the planning process. This involves identifying your talents and the methods used to accomplish the goal.

In this case there are several goals that may conflict with each other. I cannot be an absentee father. It could become easy for me to be swallowed by my own interests, forgetting why I do these things in the first place.

“I have a tendency to want to move from one great idea to the next, without finishing the first. Sometimes I have even overlapped two careers (goals) at the same time, causing stress and burnout. I must remind myself not to live two careers at once, and have both fail. Also, this would strain my marriage and relationship with the kids.  If I keep my eye on the target, and have patience, I will be able to achieve my long term goals, continuing to move forward. These will not be accomplished on my past selfish timeline.”

Go through your long term goals list and match any talents where appropriate, assign a method to achieve each of the goals and write about any other goals that will cause a conflict and sort them out as we shown in the example above. It takes a considerable amount of time and effort to build this life plan, so do not rush this process.

When prioritizing, watch your behaviors, thoughts and actions carefully for evidence of old habits of selfishness and selfish motives. We begin all the happiness lists with the spiritual category, trying to change from the inside out. With a kind, compassionate heart, all your goals will come to fruition much more quickly. Keep an eye on selfish habits, especially when prioritizing your goals. Try to keep the needs of others a priority along with the needs of your Soul (or conscience). It can be easy to become selfish when searching for what is important to you.

You now know the importance for each long term goal. Go through the list and assign a time limit (a completion date) to each goal. How long will it take to accomplish the goal? A goal is not an actual goal until you assign a completion date. Without definition, goals have no boundaries. Ill-defined goals are “pipe dreams” and usually never get done. This is reality, so do not avoid holding yourself to a schedule.

As time passes, you will want to update both of your goals lists. It is natural to discover many of the things you thought would bring you happiness really do not. This process of eliminating activities you find unsatisfying is a part of life. As goals are achieved, spend time creating new goals, regularly. This is important. This is how confidence is built: through the realization of dreams brought about by hard work and tenacity.

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