Goals can be achieved without the participation of anyone else. Desires require the co-operation of others. For example, say I want to spend more time with my brother. That requires both his and my participation. He may not want to spend time with me even if I want to spend time with him. Saying that he and I will hang out once a week is not a feasible goal; it's a desire. However, a good goal would be to ask him to coffee twice a week. This way I honor his choice and give myself an achievable goal. He may choose to say no, but I have been intentional about extending an invitation.
Some other important qualities of good goals is that they are measurable. Saying "I want to read my Bible more." is a great starting point for a goal. To take that a step further you might say, "I will read one Psalm and one chapter of the Gospels every day." This way you can measure your success and hold yourself accountable.
My list of goals and desires (yes, there's a mix) is centered around my commitment to do more of what makes me happy and causes me to progress. It is easy for me to become so preoccupied with homework, insecurities, and feelings of anxiety or depression that I either forget to [or avoid participating in] things that invigorate me. And so, this year I am prioritizing relationships and activities that engage me in Joy -- places where I can truly be myself; growing as a person and encouraging others to grow.
-- write a blog post once a week
-- take a ceramics class
-- read one chapter of Proverbs every day (I used to think of Proverbs as the book equivalence of a great uncle who gives irrelevant, unrequested advice, but I'm giving it a second shot because wisdom)
-- attend evening prayer
-- eat salad for one meal a day (yay salad!)
-- learn five new swing dance moves
-- play volleyball once a week
-- spend quality time with my brother and best friends
-- read "50 Great Short Stories" edited by Milton Crane
So far I have been successful in my quest for authentic, joy-inspiring conversations and activities. True, I've only been here three days and classes haven't yet begun buuuuut so far I'm doing great! Being a good steward of one's time and resources is important, even Christ-like. I know I will need to intentionally pursue these things for it to produce fruition.
So my questions to you are:
What desires and goals do you have for this coming semester/season?
How can you intentionally focus on doing more of what makes you happy and/or better?
feel free to answer in the comments below or just make a personal list for yourself :)