Goals Beyond Personal Fulfillment

Why Are You Still Asking God For Stuff? Jesus as the Great Example, Not the Great Exception: Open Secrets Part 6

March 25th, 2007 by Nneka -- Bookmark on del.icio.us

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Have you ever wondered? Is that how you arrived at your list of goals in the first place? What would life be like if you achieved all your goals? What would change? What are you hoping for? What are your goals?

Lots of questions, I know. But that’s what Monday Musings are about. It’s time to look within to find out what motivates you. Time to see the complete picture as far as you can.

You can answer in the comments or on your site. I’ll be back later on with my thoughts.

I’m back

I found it interesting that the comments left inferred that meeting all of life’s goals would bring an end to life. I guess it would matter which goals were achieved. Then later on in the day I was reading Scott Adam’s blog (The Dilbert Guy), and he said:

I remember when Dilbert hit it big and it became clear that I would never again have to worry about money. It was a wonderful feeling, but it didn’t last. I went from happy to hollow with no warning. The first moment that I could afford any car I wanted, I lost interest in having a nice car. I simply couldn’t see the point, if there ever was one. Success is surprisingly disorienting.

He goes on to say that once he realized that all of his goals were met, he turned outward. In his words, ” [he] found ways to use [his] success to make the world a little bit better.”

Why the questions?

This entire line of questioning started because I was tagged by Alex Shalman to list 5-10 of my gotta have it goals. I created my list of goals by envisioning the life that I want. From that point, I listed the items that would make up that life and the milestones that would mark my way along the journey. However, I realize that a few of my goals are more like lifetime achievements than milestones and I began to wonder what would happen once those were met. I figure a whole vision will open up. So without further ado, here’s my gotta have it list:

Fully realize and know my Oneness with God a la Jesus or Buddha. Yup, it’s at the top of the list. This is the one that got me wondering what next. Once that happens, what’s a gal to do?
Start a school that teaches holistically and can be duplicated. The school would incorporate experiential lessons, trips to various countries, explorations of different cultures, and heavy parental involvement with a possible adjunct curriculum for parents. One thing I’d like to do is teach people how to layer ideas over problems to solve them, rather than thinking that solutions are unique to a particular problem. After these two the rest seem unimportant, but they will help me achieve them.
Be wealthy. I have a number in mind that I won’t disclose, but it’s an income number not a net worth number. I want to be a philanthropist on the scale of Bill Gates, or Oprah Winfrey.
Experience radiant health. Health is the area of my life where I struggle the most. Specifically, my goal is to weigh below 137 lbs, and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, heart rate, and blood sugar.
Run the Alaska marathon with Team in Training. Team in Training is a phenomenal organization that combines volunteerism, leadership development, and athletic training. I think it’ll be cool to run in Alaska with that group of people.
Speak to an audience of 250 or more people in each of 100 countries. Part of my purpose is to heighten spiritual awareness, help people tap into their Divinity, and see the Divinity in others.
Have a loving, sexy, soulful, spiritual, symbiotic, fun, flourishing, successful marriage. I want a marriage thats a partnership filled with passion.
Be a present, integral, loving member of my family.

When I achieve these goals, I feel like a whole other world will open. It’s like driving down the street and knowing there’s a corner coming up. You don’t know what’s around the corner until you get to that point.

Oh, and I tag:

Jon - Art of Money
Kimber and Erin - No Limit Ladies
Terry - Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Kammie - Passion Meets Purpose
Tony - Success from the Nest
Scott - The Approachability Guy
Wade - The Middle Way
Alexander - The Chief Happiness Officer
Mama Duck - L’il Duck Duck
Rick - Shards of Consciousness
Lyman - Creating A Better Life
Gleb - Personal Development Ideas

And all of my readers (shy friends) who want to tell the world about their goals!

In Spirit,
Nneka

Entry Filed under: Personal Development, Goal Setting and Achievment, Monday Musings

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24 Comments Add your own

1. Paula | March 26th, 2007 at 5:24 am

If I achieved all of my goals I wouldn’t need to be on this physical plane anymore so I would make my transition to the non-physical.
2. Attila Borcsa | March 26th, 2007 at 7:25 am

Hi Nneka. I guess life would be pointless, a non-sense. The question is interesting, my take on it is that it has to be refined though. There are goals that we are aware of and strive for consciously, but I think there are goals much like unconscious purposes for us in life. What about these ones?
3. prlinkbiz (aka Erin) | March 26th, 2007 at 11:39 pm

Thanks for the tag. Goals. I can’t speak for Kimber (she is buried this week under her goals of publishing her book! Among other things). I do have goals for myself. I would like to put them into a post- give me a day or so and I’ll link back to you! Great food for thought and its great to share thes things!
4. Char | March 26th, 2007 at 11:49 pm

Nneka,
I hesitated to begin my own blog out of fear that I’d run out of things to say. Baseless fear, because I’ve chosen to write about what I spend most of my time thinking and feeling about. Still, I’m reassured and inspried by the fresh energy you bring to every post. Thanks for shining!

Char
5. Attila Borcsa | March 27th, 2007 at 5:19 am

Nneka, I really enjoyed reading your reply to the big question. I guess you are a bold idealist, which is a rare bird these days. Go for your goals, they all show a noble soul!

My only comment is that you might reconsider ordering them on personal and spiritual level separately. I think it would be much easier to bring them down to tangible ones.
6. Paula | March 27th, 2007 at 7:22 am

Nneka,
Thanks for sharing your goals. After our book discussion, I am thinking more that once you realize and experience God in everything that the rest of “our stuff” (goals included) may just be our “unconscious purpose in life” as Atilla mentioned in her post. I’m trying to wrap my arms around having goals again. In the past, I’ve been in Steven Covey groups that practice goal writing. I probably accomplished more by the practice of writing and sharing goals but I’m not convinced that all of that brought me any more peace. They were more task oriented. I’m torn between having goals and letting God’s Divine plan unfold for me. You’ve got me thinking, though. Thanks for the inspiration.
7. Terry Starbucker | March 27th, 2007 at 11:53 am

Gotcha Nneka! I’ll noodle on this one and post later this week or over the weekend.

PS: Any chance you can come to SOBCon (www.sobevent.com) in Chicago in May?
8. Attila Borcsa | March 27th, 2007 at 1:57 pm

Paula, I presume you meant ‘as Attila mentioned in his post’
9. Nneka | March 27th, 2007 at 8:29 pm

Hi everyone I’m glad this post stirred up such a conversation.

Paula and Attila, the more I think about it the more goals become obsolete. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven and all these things will be added onto you.” and all that stuff…

But I can’t help myself. I feel compelled to set markers for my life. I think it was the mindset of always having something to complete (high school, then college, then grad school, then marriage).

Oy, it’s exhausting thinking about it. You would think I’ll stop.
10. Nneka | March 27th, 2007 at 8:34 pm

Hi Char, thanks for the compliment. I’m afraid on a daily basis, but it’s less and less. I mostly worry about offending people, but I’m beginning to realize that I need to be authentic and speak Truth, so…I step out!
11. Nneka | March 27th, 2007 at 8:39 pm

Hi Erin, good to hear from you. I popped over to Jon’s blog the other day and realized that the RD event was going on. Hope you had a great time. You gals are keeping me on the right financial track over at No Limit Ladies.

Hi Terry, I’m going to miss out on the first ever SOBCON event. I know it will be a blast. Just the teaser virtual conference was amazing
12. Paula | March 27th, 2007 at 9:56 pm

My bad, Attila. And, I spelled your name wrong,too.
So sorry.
13. Rick Cockrum | March 28th, 2007 at 10:54 am

Look over today and you’ll see my post, Nneka. I’m sorry, but I wrote it before I read your post here. Even if we could achieve complete enlightenment, I don’t think goals here becom obsolete. Buddha didn’t spend fifty years teaching out of boredom. Jesus didn’t spend three years preaching and healing to kill time. Attachment to th outcomes may be obsolete, but the act of pursuing goals won’t be.
14. Rick Cockrum | March 28th, 2007 at 10:55 am

My typing is getting worse. I should make a project of improving my editing.
15. The Brain of Wade »&hellip | March 29th, 2007 at 8:17 am

[…] Nneka at Balanced Life Center pinged me with 5-10 goals. I’m not normally a chain forwarded, and I know everyone say this time it’s different. This time, however, it is different. […]
16. My Absolutely, Gotta Get &hellip | March 30th, 2007 at 1:52 pm

[…] It’s interesting that I didn’t write about business success or financial needs. Huh, that’s something for me to consider why. I tend to speak what’s in my heart - I guess those things, while important and necessary, are not in my heart. That would be a good thing, in my opinion. […]
17. My Spin on the Goals Meme&hellip | March 30th, 2007 at 4:40 pm

[…] On Alex Shalman’s Gotta Have It Goals meme, I was tagged by Nneka and Ponn Sabra. Then way back on March 7th, I was tagged on a similar meme by Aaron Potts (which I just found out about via the other tags today). Got all that? […]
18. Kammie | April 3rd, 2007 at 2:58 pm

Nneka~

I wrote a post with my version of goals…like several of your readers have shared…I’m not so attached to the goals as I am to the bigger vision of living a life of passion and purpose. I ask to be used for the gereater good each day and thru that, I am tuned into the people, places and things that bring me joy, health, wealth and abundance…so I’m diggin’ on living life with “vision” these days, but there are still certain things I’d like to accomplish before I transcend…you can read my post here:

Stay passionate,
kam:)
19. Kammie | April 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 pm

Oops,

I forgot to leave the link!!

http://www.passionmeetspurpose.com/blog/index.php/site/permalink/happy_birthright_day_bring_your_big_goals/
20. Terry Starbucker | April 8th, 2007 at 9:23 am

Haven’t forgotten about this Nneka - do stay tuned! All the best.
21. Nneka | April 8th, 2007 at 10:33 pm

No worries Terry take your time

Kammie, that’s an impressive list. I think we should all go over to wish Kammie a happy birthday!

In Spirit,
Nneka
22. Kara-Leah Masina | May 13th, 2007 at 9:46 pm

Some of the most awesome goals I’ve read in response to this meme - I love your spirit and your OOMPH!

I hope you achieve each and every one of these.

Many blessings,
23. Doug Rosbury | June 23rd, 2007 at 1:30 pm

The concept of “goals” is a human idea. We need to get beyond an idea like this to the realization that as offspring of god, we are not lacking anything and that to have a goal is to give recognition to “lack” making
it necessary for us to act onh the basis of an illusion,
namely that we are lacking and this goes against the reality that we are not lacking in anything we might need or desire. We have all things and we simply select from the all what we desire to have as long as we agree to be responsible for the results of our choice.
According to this spiritual truth even a goal is already achieved simply by recognizing it as already achieved. Humans tend to think backwards from the spirit. Humans talk about what they dont have and the spirit teaches that we already have it. The
link, of course is faith which in itself already is what we desire. ——– Doug Rosbury
24. Keeping My Hands on the W&hellip | December 22nd, 2007 at 6:09 pm

[…] Nneka at Balanced Life Center recently tagged me with the “gotta get” goals meme which was originated by Alex Shalman, where bloggers are listing 5-10 goals that represent the fulfillment of our wildest dreams.I’ve thought about this for a couple of weeks now, and images that came into my head were not tied as much to the future as they were to how I was living my life right now. […]