Posted on 12/24/2024 6:09:36 AM PST by MtnClimber
Years ago, while studying for my master’s degree in human behavior, I became deeply intrigued by the concept of personal goal setting and how important it is for people to have goals simply in order to stay healthy. What I learned changed my life.
Human beings are, by nature, goal seekers. We are the only living creatures who can look into the future and project images of ourselves. Within the context of every other living creature, even the simple act of scheduling a lunch meeting for next week or planning a family get-together is an amazingly complex and miraculous task.
But our teleological nature goes far beyond that. Just ask the doctor who “wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember.” Or anyone else whose childhood dream to pursue a specific career came true. What these examples show is that if you create visions of yourself cast into the future, you will naturally be drawn toward those visions, usually until they become true.
This is one of the reasons why one of the most important steps in goal setting is to create positive, present-tense affirmations of yourself having achieved each of your goals. Then, repeat these affirmations over and over until the goals become reality. The more vividly you can have your subconscious mind visualize you in your desired goal state, the more likely you will be to achieve that state (accomplish your goal) sooner rather than later.
Interestingly enough, not having clear goals can create problems for people when they retire. Far too often, when people stop working, they think that they’ve achieved their life’s purpose, so there’s “nothing left to do.” Thus, they are left basically directionless and without a sense of purpose for this chapter in their life.
The data tells us that individuals who lack purpose and direction tend to have worse health outcomes and die sooner than those who have a sense of purpose. Those without goals tend to wander aimlessly for a time and have less fulfilling life spans than people who continue to set goals for themselves.
It’s important to know that the goals we are talking about here are not simply work-related. They could be family-related, travel-related, recreational, spiritual, or even learning-related. The important thing is to have exciting milestones to look forward to in the future. For many people, this is their “bucket list.”
Setting goals and defining purpose isn’t hard work. But for some reason, it’s one of those activities that is difficult to get started with if you haven’t already made a habit of goal setting. However, once you set goals, the satisfaction is both immediate and long-term.
Early on during our 55-year marriage, my wife and I made goal setting an important part of our relationship. It has not only made our lives and relationship more fulfilling, but it has also led to us accomplishing much more with our lives than we would have otherwise. It has made our transition into retirement much smoother and more fulfilling. Defining goals and purpose can do the same for you.
It’s never too late to start. The most important thing is to outline an annual process and stick to it. We start each year by discussing possible goals for the next year during the week following Christmas, leading up to New Year’s. Instead of writing New Year’s resolutions, we write our list of goals for the upcoming year (and sometimes beyond). We set goals for our relationship, family, finances, home improvement, travel, learning, health, service to others, and just about anything else you can think of – even our spirituality.
Then, we print out the list of goals and post them where we will see it almost every day.
On or around the Fourth of July, we review them to assess our progress, make changes, and update whatever is necessary. At year’s end, that goal list becomes the starting point for next year’s goals when we restart the process the week after Christmas.
Research has repeatedly shown that goal setting may be even more important in retirement than earlier in life. If you don’t already do something to create and maintain a clear sense of purpose for this chapter in your life, now is the time to start. The dividends will be plentiful.
“...after 2 days I quit.
“I realized that during my career I had to be in a place at a certain time, eat and take breaks at a certain time and all the rest of the work regimen.”
That’s me. I resent making any schedule — even a set time for a doctor’s appointment. I got roped into the church choir and hate having to be there at a certain day and time.
Like you I appreciate the freedom after 50+ years of rigid living.
Mookbark for later read.
I worked from Oct 1981 to Jan 2024 without a break. I retired for 9 months and then went back to work part-time until they could find a replacement for me. We made a job offer last week to the only qualified applicant only to discover they were ineligible to work (visa). I told my wife “We are going to pile up money and then do something with it”.
There is no time like the present.
There might be a corollary to what you have written.
It’s a saying of mine, and it goes like this:
“Never resent having to do something which one day you wish you still could.”
I go back to that saying quite often when I find myself resenting having to do tedious chores.
Go talk to the GenZ and Millia losers who just go along to get along.
Get a useless degree (why? Dunno — I was told to), run up debt (why? Dunno,I was told it was OK), etc etc.
Most got in and out of Uni with a useful degree and are paying it off.
Not these parasites, tho.
Precisely! Pain goes with age. You can’t allow it to make you lazy. I am very well acquainted with pain. You have to push through it without help.
I retired at 62, finished my Masters in Biblical Studies and am now a Pastor at a small country church. I ain’t going to stop till the Lord tells me to.
Some of the most important words to me came from the end of a Disney movie from the good times. At the end of the movie "Big Red" the boy, dog and man are walking and the boy says the most important thing in life is to be useful and needed. The doc asked how long I wanted to live. As long as I am useful and those who need me still do is my answer. I have purpose.
I tell people to retire to something instead of from something when they ask. Some seem to think I am successfully retired so they ask me how I do it.
THAT should easily keep you busy and fulfilled! It is a good list. My list is much simpler: keep things running well, improve everything I can including me, invent what is not at hand and make it, help others when they are deserving and without, obey the Scout Laws. Yup.
There is MUCH to do.
Well done! You are on my prayer list for much more of the same. Blessings!
I’m that way about rain. Since I lived in the desert and endured drought i have never complained about rainy dreary days. Yours is an excellent idea. Enjoy challenges that you may not be able to meet one day.
Hahaha! Obey The Scout Law! In the old days, that could never lead you wrong...and a Merry Christmas to you, FRiend...:)
Yeah well said. That sounds like a good way to describe it.
I completely retired when my university closed during Covid.
At first, the freedom was wonderful. However, lately I’ve felt I’m just waiting to die.
I don’t need to make more money—in fact, more would just raise my taxes, so I don’t want to go back to work.
I need to find something...
Amen! My ex was a box checker to the extreme. If her calendar had burned in a fire, her life would have been over. I couldn’t live like that. Goals are good to work towards, but not the end all drug it becomes to some people.
Oh, what about woodworking? Making reproductions of 1700-1800s laboratory instruments. Ever thought about making a vacuum tube from scratch?
There is plenty to do.
How about inventing a machine that turns heat into friction?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.