267: For 2014.

Quote from Haruki Murakami's book Kafka on the Shore ; I own the Photo

Happy Holidays my dear loves. Just a few days from now we are wrapping 2014. If you've seen my posts for the past few months most of them are about how seemingly my year had been. I have admitted on my post (Fail Forward 2014) that this year had been a decline.

To say, I have two options on how I would call my 2014: a.) it sucks or b.) pure lessons. I have seen Facebook statuses that others call this year as 'it sucks' and how they want the year to end. But I refuse to agree, I'd say that this year was pure lessons, but lessons through pain. Although, there were many expectations and (personal) goals that were not met, it taught me what my weaknesses were, and how to be resilient. I'm actually glad that for these failures because I guess if I did not encounter them I would have not address what my weakness was.

I was able to tell myself to take a pause and assess the situation as my goals were clearly spinning out of control. I have come to acknowledge my problems and led me to understand myself better. Now, I've started to list down my goals for next year and before I list down the items I would reflect if I can really commit to these tasks. All items I've listed were not limited because of my weakness but rather assessed and listed according to my priorities.

Looking at my goals I can only cross my finger and think of what I want in the end, so I am more hopeful this time. So 2014 might have been painful but seriously, I am grateful for the failed expectations, for lost love ones, and for the heart breaks.I am now ready for 2015. Je Suis Prest.

237: Goal -- Nut

How do you keep track of your goals? 

 

So yeah, again back on the question 'How do you keep track of your goals'? There's really nothing wrong with not being able to keep track of your goals, I mean come on I guess it's those who are very OC would do that (*cough* *cough*), and aren't we suppose to live spontaneously? (okay, enough of being contrary).

Anyway, if you ask me how do I keep track on my goals, it's about having a checkpoint dates every week. What I mean about checkpoint dates it's really about a certain day on my week where in I would go through what I have done related to my goals. Like for example, in one of my goals I've written about learning a new sport. Every week, during Sundays there's a certain question on my planner where in it asks me 'Learned new sport?', and etc.,

Why do I do this? The reason why I've ended up making a checkpoint every week is because I want to be certain that I won't forget my goals. I'm not sure how others have accomplish their goals, I just do not trust myself that I will be able to carry through without forgetting what I am really supposed to be accomplishing.

I have to say that making a checkpoint every week works for me because it aligns my activities according to what I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year.

But lo and behold, I have to admit that it's a challenge. First, every week I am expected to see an accomplishment may it be small or not, so when I realized that I haven't done anything according to my plans, I ended up berating myself. Yeah, sorry I am self destructive OC. But yeah, I easily forgive myself. By telling myself that I have to make up for it.

But really, try not to be so hard on yourself by trying to deliver everything according to your plans. The point is do something -- anything according to what you wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. I may not be able to do my some small stuff according to my goals, but I make sure that I make up on it. Keep focused. Keep going!

Connect with me!

So how do you keep track of your goals? Share your thoughts on the comment box below! Thanks!

 

223: How do you define your life?

©

 Do all the other things, the ambitious things – travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly. And someday, in 80 years, [...]I hope you will say: It has been so wonderful.

- George Saunders message to Graduates

Let's talk about life. Back when I was in college, I often thought how mundane it is to just live, work, have family, work, and retire. Not that there's something wrong in that sequence. But I thought that I am sure there's more to life than that. I knew mine is. I knew deep inside that we are born with purpose. So I seek, I seek for answers to my questions.

We have different meaning of what life is: Mine could be very well different from yours. But if you'd ask me what life is: I believe it's experience. Experience different (good) adventures, see different places, experience different emotions, and ingrate everything on memory so when I reach my aging years I will be able to tell my stories to my grand daughters/sons. Write them on a book and share how exhilarating it is to skydive at Peru, how beautiful the sunset is in Mykonos, Greece. How beautiful France at midnight, To join the volunteer and feed the people at Kenya, and etc,. I want to experience all of this without limitation, hence I am glad that I found what I wanted to pursue (and I'm pursuing it now!).

I want to glorify my struggles, pains, and challenges and how it shaped me to become the person I am. To inspire people and make them realize that those pains are not there to break us but to make us a better person. For me, the ultimate goal is to know that through my experience I am able to inspire and motivate people.

I want to define my life as someone who found happiness by appreciating, and seeing God's handcraft to us.

We could have different view of what life is. Others, might say that they have lived life by being loved, by finding happiness through living simple, or by devoting themselves to God. Every one of us a different definition. So you, what's yours?

166: Setting Goals on Fire

eek. I am so sleepy. The past few days had been really draining. There were many things to finish, many things to accomplish, and many things to plan. But I am happy that I was able to get a very long sleep yesterday. I felt restored. Now, I had a very long day. I still need to finish a couple of things then I am set to snooze. I still feel tired despite all the long sleep.

Anyway, the past few days had been interesting as most of the people I know are concern about what they want to happen in their life. There are those people who can see clearly what they want to happen. Then, there are those who goes on in this life taken by the waves (of life).

If you'd ask me, I'd say that I am one of those people who set goals. To begin with, I love setting goals. The reason why I love setting goals is because I learned that living and achieving these goals gives me direction of what I want in life. Goals leads me to the path of my dreams.

Honestly, when I had graduated in college I thought that the world was one big table of foods served buffet, and since there was a lot of things to choose from it gets baffling. But when I sorted out what I want to be and where I wanted to be in the next few years, it had led me to the path where I am right now.

In my experience, setting goal can be tough. Achieving self-goals takes a hard work. It's a hard work because it takes disciplining myself to stay committed to it. It takes courage not to stop even though I failed too many times. It takes guts to continue when it seems there's no reason to go on. But daydreaming of the rewards was my ultimate reason why I should continue and fight back.

I never knew the importance of goals until I realized to myself that it was leading me to the path I wanted. If I did not recognize its importance and just lived where life would take me, I will be floating in the waves led by how life will take me. And that's something I do not want to happen.

So set goals well, live the life you wanted, and stay committed to it.

To achieving our goals!

E6WMZSHXFBVM

129: Goals 2012

all images except the teeth with braces are all taken from google

The last time I've checked here I only had 15 followers, now I have 18! Wow. What an improvement.

The days has been a bit fast this time. I was sure New Year was just yesterday but apparently we're on a fast pace! Few days from now it's Valentines already. It's cliché to comment how fast the day is. hahaha! Oh well, so this year I have few targets. I love setting goals and achieving them because it makes me feel that I am in control of my life (among other things). So here are my goals this year:

1. Get myself a brace   - ✓ ~ Feb 03, 2012
2. Read 100 books - ‣ 
3. Buy my Panasonic Lumix GF2 (if not GF3) - ❑
4. Buy Playstation 3 or iTouch 4th Gen white color  - ❑
5. Get a pension/life/insurance plan - ‣

Legend: ✓ - Accomplished ‣ - In Progress ❐ - Pending

There are reasons why I wanted to achieve those. First, is the brace. You see I have gaps on my teeth. It was not really an embarrassing space but I get so conscious of my smile. I wanted to have the gap closed since then but my father thinks that it is unnecessary so he never got me a brace. I never demanded my parents to get my teeth fixed, so I just told myself that I'll be the one getting it.

It was expensive! But after a year of saving, I'm happy that I finally have it. To let you know, I started saving when I got hired last year.

Hurrah for accomplishing that goal. 

My second goal, which is to read 100 books was something that I have been trying to accomplish since 2 years ago. I was never successful then because along the way I slacked off. Last year, I was able to read 50 books. I set the challenge late already. If I probably have set the challenge when the year started I would be able to read more than that. 

Now that I was able to set the challenge as the year started. I am positive that I will be able to beat the count this time. Currently, I have read 10 books already.

My third goal is to buy a Panasonic GF2 (or 3). I wanted to buy this because I really want to put up an active photoblog. My cellphone might be enough but I couldn't get a decent coloring out of it. The pictures ends up being grainy after applying the effects. In order for me to achieve the effects that I want to apply on my pictures I need to have a high resolution images.  So, having this camera would help me build up my photoblog! 

My fourth is to buy a Playstation 3.  The reason why I wanted to buy it is because of my brother. But I'm a little hesitant now because he has a new toy. On a second thought, if I am not going to buy Playstation 3, I have the option to buy iTouch 4th gen instead. I wanted to buy that one since I already have sold my 1st gen. I may probably buy it on my birthday this March but if not probably on April. I'm not really in hurry in buying it but I'll start saving for it.

Last, is getting a pension/insurace/life plan. I really wanted to purchase this because this is important for my future. I already have a savings for this if in case I have to start already. But then, I am still in progress because I am still searching for the best plan to get. Of course I do not want to buy in impulse without getting all the possible options. 

When my sister arrives this last February it is our mission to find the best plan for me and also look for possible investments. It is important to have these streams of income rather than just relying solely in work. I'm not that kind of person who wants to depend so much on my salary alone.

I know some of the list in my goals might appear shallow to someone. But I have read that it is necessary to set goals to ourself even how little it is. Achieving small things can lead to bigger things. It's the practice that will hone me as a better person. 

I'm excited for the goals I always set because I realize how capable I am in achieving them. Additionally, there's this pleasure in knowing that I have achieve that all by myself.

So more plan for me this year. :)