Bringing Balance to Life: Setting Goals to Achieve Your Dreams

Goals aren't for everyone:

• Goals are only for those who want to budget their time and balance their lives.
• Goals are only for those who want time for their family and themselves while advancing their career as far as their talents will take them. 
• Goals are only for retirees who want to have a balanced life so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labors. 
• Goals are only for those who take the time to prioritize so that they can save time.

To achieve your goals they much be SMART: 

• Specific--I am going to spend more time with Brad should be changed to I will spend 15 minutes with Brad each day.
• Measurable--I am going to buy my first car should be changed to I am going to get a second job and save all that money until I can pay cash for my car. 
• Achievable--I am going to be CEO of my company should be changed to I am going to be promoted by December 31, 2015.
• Realistic--I am going to buy a $2M second home in the mountains should be changed to I am going to pay off my first mortgage by doubling my monthly payments.
• Time focused--I am going to have the grandkids visit as soon as I clean this house should be changed to I will wash the dishes, sweep the floor, and change the sheets today so the grandkids can mess up the house when they visit tomorrow.

Most goal setters breakdown their desires into three categories: 

1. Family, Spiritual, and Personal Goals
2. Career (or Retirement) Goals
3. Self-improvement Goals

Suggestion for Family, Spiritual, and Personal Goals:

• How much time do you want to spend with your family?
• How do you want to spend your time with your family?
• How do you want to spend your leisure time?
• How many hours do you want to spend relaxing?
• How do you want to spend your time in spiritual pursuits?

Suggestions for Career (Retirement) goals:

• How far do you want to advance your career in 12 months? 5 years?
• What specific goals do you have for advancing your career?
• How do want to enjoy your retirement?
• What countries do you want to visit?

Suggestions for Self-improvement Goals (to retard Alzheimer's for retirees):

• Read books that improve your attitude and people skills at bedtime to inculcate ideas into the unconscious and to dilute the negative in your life
• Learn a foreign language
• Learn to play a musical instrument
• Work mind stretching puzzles
• Exercise 30 minutes six days a week
• Join Toastmaster to set your words and your career on fire 

Goal setting is one of the best ways to balance your life and find more time than you knew you had.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKP4cfU28vM