1. Start Over, Or Start Small – Goals are all encompassing and give equal weight to the big milestones, like “graduate” and “start a family,” as they do to the annoying tasks and everyday habits, like “pick up dog poop” or “start flossing.” They show our best sides right along with our worst sides, they reflect our triumphs and failures, along with other highs and lows in our lives.
2. A Personal Time Capsule – Each year’s list of goals will be an intimate snapshot into your life at a very specific moment in time. Once you’ve established the tradition, old goal lists will provide an interesting look into earlier times, showing not only what was important to you back then, but what was going on in the world. In ten years, you will look back and think how funny it was that you ever needed to “teach mom how to use an iPhone.”
3. There’s No Better Way To Get To Know Someone – Making and sticking to resolutions is certainly an extremely personal endeavor; however, sharing this experience with others can only enhance it. Getting together with close friends or family to share this personal practice is a powerful bonding experience that allows you the opportunity to share your most important hopes, dreams, desires, and plans with those you care about the most. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about your loved ones while also helping each other not only to stay on track but to dream big and do great things.
4. Self-improvement Is A Lifelong Process – Wildcatters are constantly learning and seeking to improve themselves, and goals are the perfect venue to keep tabs on this. There are worse reasons to learn a new skill than the desire to get a perfect score on your New Year’s resolutions… Bragging rights are a powerful motivator, so use this opportunity to dream big!
5. Unexpected Surprises – Random goals can lead to some unexpected changes. Maybe your goal to “learn Spanish” leads to meeting the love of your life, or “start a new business venture” could turn into the next unicorn. Or maybe you’ll learn how to make the most perfect poached egg and the next thing you know you’re opening a restaurant. Who knows what a simple goal could lead to?
