on goals

Here is something I learned from my seminary teacher about setting goals: If you want your goals to be effective, they need to be measurable. While a goal like "This year I want to be a more loving person" might be an admirable desire, it's hard to measure. Goals like that are easily forgotten. When I make goals like that I tend to get discouraged quickly when I'm not perfect, or else I tend to rationalize with thoughts like, "Well, I smiled faintly at that guy in the elevator--that was loving, right?" Instead, it's helpful to make more specific goals, like "I will volunteer at the food pantry once a month" or "I will visit my elderly neighbor tomorrow morning." This is something I always try to keep in mind when I am setting goals. If I have broad/vague goals I make more specific goals that help me work toward accomplishing the broad ones.

Last year my goals were:

• Go to the temple every month.
• Read 30 books.
• Read 4 non-fiction books.
• Get all the dishes washed before bed.
• Tweak the budget for 2014 and continue to keep it updated.

I think I went to the temple four times last year, so I fell short of my goal, but sadly this is an improvement over the last few years. I'm going tomorrow, though!

I only read 26 books, but several of them were quite long, so I'm okay with that.

I read nine non-fiction books this year.

I am doing a lot better with washing the dishes, but I have a long way to go.

Ryan has mostly done the budget this year, but I've been watching it and staying aware of our spending.