This is Day 12 of the 21-Day Journaling Challenge held in Nov 2011. The challenge is now over but you can do the tasks in your own time. Visit the overview page for all the challenge tasks.
Hi everyone – Welcome to Day 12 of 21DJC! :)
Yesterday’s question was: “Out of Your 5 Senses, Which is the Most Important to You, and Why?“. (Read the responses.)
The intention of yesterday’s question is to make us appreciate our 5 senses. Which is the most important sense to us? What would happen if we lose that sense? How would our experience of life change?
The reason why I asked yesterday’s question is because one of my teachers posed the question to the class when I was in primary school.
I remember feeling struck when I first heard the question. “What would happen if I were to lose one of my senses?“, I thought. I would be devastated, for sure. These 5 senses, which I had taken for granted, have been monumental in creating my life experience. Without any of them, I couldn’t imagine how life would be like.
There is no right or wrong answer – each answer depicts what is the most important sense to you. Interesting, your answer suggests whether you’re more of a visual person, an audio person, a sensorial person, a person who values smells, or a person who values taste.
Hopefully, from answering the question, you became aware of the importance of all your 5 senses, and the role they play in your life. From reading your answers, and how many of you expressed gratitude for the senses that you often take for granted, it would definitely seem that has been achieved.
For me, the most important sense to me… I would say it’s sight. I can’t imagine living a life of darkness. I’m a visual person – it’s what I notice at the beginning; it’s the first thing I remember about events and scenes.
That said, the sense of smell is important to me too, as is the sense of hearing, taste, or touch. It’s definitely a challenge having to pick one sense over another, so let’s make sure we never run into the situation where we have to do that, shall we? Let’s treasure our 5 senses and care for them duly.
Let’s protect our eyesight by only reading when the room is well lit, taking a quick break every once in a while when using the computer, and not forcing ourselves to wear contact lens when our eyes are tired (for contact lens users).
Let’s protect our hearing by not blasting our music at full volume and listening to it at a moderate level. Let’s also protect it by staying away from places with noise pollution, such as booming clubs, places with loud traffic, and so on.
Let’s care for our nose by not picking at it constantly, not sniffing at uninviting smells, not blowing it hard when we have the flu, and not stuffing things up our nostrils.
Let’s care for our skin by washing it regularly, not coming into contact with extreme temperatures (hot or cold), using mittens when removing items from the microwave/oven, using gloves when doing dish washing, wearing gloves and socks when we feel cold, and keep ourselves well covered during the winter times.
Let’s care for our taste buds by not taking spices we are not accustomed to, not smoking, not consuming food that has expired or gone bad, and not consuming food high in preservatives, because they may well desensitize our taste buds.
With that said, let’s now move to today’s question!
21DJC Day 12
Today’s question is sort of a precursor to our highly anticipated, upcoming Live a Better Life in 30 Days Challenge for Dec 2011. Today’s question is:
What Are Your Biggest Goals for the Next Few Years?
What do you envision achieving in the next few years? What do you most want to see happen? What are the goals and dreams you want to see unfold?
We will be working on our ideal life, our life goals, life map and vision board in detail during 30DLBL next month, so take this as a preliminary outlet to think over your goals in the next few years.
(Today’s question can be found in #28 of 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself In Life.)
Your Task Today:
- Reflect and answer today’s question. There’s no word limit – whether minimum or maximum. Write as few or as many words as you want. It’s all up to what you want to express!
- Share your answer. After you are done writing, copy and paste your answer in the comments area and post it there.
- Check out other participants’ answers. Other participants will be sharing their answers too, so feel free to read and reply to their answers. This is a group course, so let’s support each other in these 21 days.
((Images: Empty book for journaling, Back view of two girls in the field))
If you like my articles, join my community of 65,000 readers and get my latest articles delivered to your inbox. Your email is safe. 100% no spam.
I’m not sure yet because I think I just “woke up” from your article about sleepwalkers and I don’t know what my purpose is.My goals for now are to finish school and get good grades, have the option to go to the university I want, make more best friends, learn to play the piano, sell some pictures online.
Next few years… I actually don’t have very long term goals with definite time lining… but here are the few things I want to do If I am given the opportunity to live…
Finish writing my thesis and join a job
live debt free and modestly…
Have kids :)
Also take up writing and other creative activities
enjoy quality time with family
start up my own business
and set up a school for girls who are less privileged..
At 44, I’ve already achieved many of my goals, and don’t have any big goals.
I’d like to have enough savings to cover my two kids’ overseas university fees. They are 16 and 14 right now, so I still have a few years to achieve my goal.
I would also like to lose weight (around 30lbs). I am not obsessed about this, and not in a hurry – I would rather eat and live a healthy life.
Lastly, I would like to enjoy life, and continue my personal development.
First, I would like to move. We have so outgrown our house. Second, I would like to go back to school and finish. I love my job but my heart is in writing and I feel like I have to earn the ability to do it. I know that may not make sense to some people but my crazy messed up mind perceives it that way. lol. I would also like to see my daugher who is a sophomore this year get into the school of her choice. She is a smart girl and I know she can do it. As far as personal growth, I would very much like to be a better person all around. Nicer to my husband, family, friends. Work, on my health, exercise more, eat healthier, and so forth. I would like to love myself more so that others may love me back.
My biggest goals for the next few years are,
1. To improve my language to communicate more with people.
2. To remain fit by taking healthy food, and avoid junk food
3. To visit the old aged homes or orphans at least once in a year and spending time with those lonely people.
4. To read more motivational books as they are the best companions.
5. To spend time with family members and friends by taking a short trip once in a year.
6. To be a better professional in my career.
7. To do meditation daily to relieve myself from the work stress.
8. To make sure all the above wishes be on track. ;)
I have a lot of goals, although for many them I have yet to put myself together and execute them.
One of my biggest goals would be to finally have a relationship and most probably start a family. I am at a stage when I am no longer young, and I know why I do not have a girlfriend up to this stage. There are certainly many areas in my life to improve on, and I have been working on it.
Another goal would be to start a business. This is something that I have wanted to do for a while now. Having been officially in the workforce for seven and a half years now, I find that I need (1) to expand my horizons in terms of wealth, (2) to ensure that I can continue to feed myself even if I lost my job some day, and (3) to become a tycoon some day.
Of course, I would also want to do something meaningful. That would include making a big donation and helping those who are less privileged. As I get older, I have become a more sympathetic person. That is just me, and I want to make a difference to this world.
What do you envision achieving in the next few years?
I envision myself with my own home, gaining money with a job I have yet to think about(blogger, chef, nurse,etc.?) I go out more often with my family and friends, have a boyfriend who loves me for who I am and I’ve got clothes and a home that expresses who I am more clearly. I go on trips 3 times a year and simply have fun with life.
What do you most want to see happen?
I want to fain a way to gain money to gain my blurry life goal at the moment: Be free and experience this worlds unlimited wonders like never before.
What are the goals and dreams you want to see unfold?
-I want to have my own home.
-I want to see my mom married and happy.
-I want to work on something I love.
-I want to see different countries.
-I want to be able to express my self more clearly.
-I want to see my stories published.
-I want to play the guitar and sing to a crowd.
-I want to skateboard professionally.
-I want to gain more knowledge.
I used to wonder why I couldn’t think of a life goal. I analyzed and reflected a lot until I came to notice it was because I am still too young and fresh to be thinking of things such as a stable job and life route to choose. I did not feel happy with any goal I picked because I felt I didn’t want to dedicate 110% to one thing right now. I felt I would miss out on many things and be limited in my journey.
My goals for the future are still blurry but I realized I wasn’t wasting my time in not having a goal. I’m young and I’ve still got many things I want to experience, which most of my age have by now but not me. For now my life goal is to re-live the years I’ve lost in my childhood and experience and learn as many new things as possible. I want to be grateful each day and not take for granted what I have and don’t have. Via this my life’s purpose will be clear by time naturally. :D
21DJC#12: What Are Your Biggest Goals for the Next Few Years?
I have many goals in mind for the next few years. Some of the most important ones are:
1. Increasing the reach of my blog
It’s been more than a year since I started my blog, and its audience has been getting bigger and bigger ever since. But for the next few years, I want to focus on expanding the reach of my blog to a whole new audience. I’m planning to do guest posts, comment on other blogs, and improve my google ranking.
2. Adopting a vegan diet
It’s been more than 3 months now since I completely stopped consuming animal flesh, and I don’t see myself ever going back. For the next few years though, I want to go even further and adopt a complete vegan diet. I’m planning to go egg-free first, and then stop eating diaries all together.
3. Developing my programing skills
Next year, I’ll be entering university; I decided to major in Computer Science. I’ve already learned C and C++ programing languages on my own. My plans for the next few years is to further develop my programing skills by learning new languages, designing more complex programs, and of course going to university. Wish me luck (:
My goal for next few years are like this-
1. To make my self worthy of remembrance
2. Great physical outlook with regular exercise ;)
3. Improve my writing and speaking skills
4. Get financially independent :angel:
5. Improve my love for myself, my family
6. A good dancer
7. Finally want to be a person whom anybody can trust, rely on
What Are My Biggest Goals For The Next Few Years?
One of my goals is to become a more confident and social person. I want to make more friends and be a friendlier and happier person. I was to feel confident of myself in social situations and stop negative self sabotaging behaviors I sometimes have when meeting people.
I also want to achieve my ideal weight. I want to cut out junk foods I eat and and be healthier. Not just thinner, or stronger, but healthier. I want to adopt a life style that will lead to a long life.
I want to persue my passion in art. I want to have this as my career. I want to spend most of my time working hard at something I am passionate about.
I want to have closer relationship with my sister and mom, as well as help each other heal rifts in our relationships with each other.
It’s an interesting question to ask myself because I’m currently in an unintended “gap” year – I’ve ended one phase of my life, which was my university, and starting my new job in 4 months or so. I have quite a bit of time to think about my possible goals and here are some:
1. A very obvious one – do well in my job!
2. Go on an international assignment in my job. In my interview rounds, I heard a lot about doing consulting related projects overseas and I really want to do that. It’s going to be competitive, so I will have to keep myself up-to-date and competitive stage.
3. Get my driver’s license. Some people might laugh, but I do have fear of driving/cars so it’s going to be one challenge. I took a written exam 4 years ago and expired. It’s taken me another 2 years to actually re-write it and get the license again. I need to take the driving lessons…
4. Become fluent in another language – I haven’t chosen one yet, but most likely either French, Spanish or German.
In 3 years I will see myself doing these goals. I read and write once 3 days to everyday and my writing skill gets better. I learn, hard working, improving, not given up easily on I do my business happily and have a good returns. I take a yoga class, exercise and meditate everyday with yoga, jogging, swimming, etc and my body is healthier and has muscle.
I accept and appreciate my family with who they are, forgiving and love them with what I can do my best to them and my relationship with my family grow stronger. I pay off my liabilities easily on time, have a new phone, motorbike or car, and have more time for holiday. I learn how to get more friends and I get more friends.
I learn, read books, information of self esteem improvement and I have more self confidence, speak confidently. I eliminate my bad attitude, bad habits one by one, I change and I become closer to what I want to become and better me. I learn and become more awakes each day and I’m more conscious in my life. I give more money to my mom so she can retire. I try new things and get exciting every day. I learn and comprehend from my mistake and if have down time and never lose hope. I learn guitar or piano. I learn to control and am well in emotional. I have more goals if I can accomplish earlier in 3 years.
This is a great question for me because I just came out of a period where I lost sight of my goals and aspirations and felt very lost and scared because of it. But in the past few months I have regained my goals and aspirations and am steaming ahead at full strength. I’m excited to have goals again and very excited to be excited to be excited about it. haha, it’s like a chain reaction feeding my own engine by the very sight of the horizon out in front:)
So with that said I am very excited about going back to school. I am 24 and haven’t been in school for a couple years because I decided to take a break after 4 years of, “playing around taking electives and general ed”, because I just couldn’t stand the thought of studying something I wasn’t going to use and really didn’t care about. So after a good break traveling, working and figuring things out I am no closer than I was when I left but with one difference. I’m ready! I’m ready to go back to school and figure it out there. So my goal is to be enrolled and pursuing a degree no matter what it is and graduate with a masters before I turn 31, haha.
I think another awesome goal I’m excited about would be studying music and performing on some sort of a stage in front of people I don’t know playing my guitar and singing along! I’m not worried about this one because I’m not afraid of it anymore:) So i’d say I can knock that one out before my 26th birthday:)
Hmmm, one more. I want to dance my socks off and someone else’s! haha. This one also has to be done before my 26th birthday and there’s no real measurement either just the satisfaction that I know I’m confident enough and skilled enough to dance sock’s off, haha:) HHHHH goals are awesome!
ohh ya and last one. Learn how to saddle and ride a horse in a trot and full gallop comfortably! this one i will have to give myself some more time as I am a complete new bee with these animals:) that should keep me occupied for a while:)
My goals for the next few years :
a. I am taking pictures that improve lives, and
b. I am organized and productive.
These goals are not specific and are not time limited. Therefore, many people will say they are not goals. How will I know I have accomplished my goals? Those are valid challenges.
I am either successfully doing them RIGHT NOW or NOT!!
To be the best Tour Guide in my city, to continuously expand my knowledge base, speaking skills and presentation so I can inform, entertain and perform the kind of tour that once influenced me: I attended a class given by a Jesuit Priest at the J.P. Getty Museum in Los Angeles — that day changed my entire life. After ten minutes, the group of 45 persons followed him around like little puppies – so much information, such light shed on the topics, he totally engaged us. I would love to bring that kind of pleasure and transformation to others.
I would also like to have a travel column, “The Guide”, with witty, (I hope!), entertaining but history-laced anecdotes to make the history of this city come alive.
For the time being I want to work for a good firm and earn for myself for my family, save some amount for future travels, for pursuing my passion for art and rest give away as charity. This is necessary as it would mean utilisation of time.
I see my life purpose as:
1.Achieving personal growth: wherein I would correct my errs and improve way I live and of course do things I like such as drawing, gardening, learning music…
2.To be there for my family and friends whenever they need me
3.Support others by sharing what I have learnt and earned
Apart from this I want to start my own business 13 yrs from now and publish book/s 33 yrs hence and do some travel. In the mean time spend time with my family, blog and work.
My biggest goals for the next few years are to position myself in a sustainable place financially, to get my house in order, get in better physical shape, and to further my education. Funny, now that I see them in print I realize that they really are the same thing. I guess my biggest goal for the next few years is to honor and value myself more. All of those other goals are really just subsets of this more emcompasing goal. Another goal would be to continue to see and be thankful for the progress and the positive things in my life. I already have a leg up on this goal, and it is almost second nature to me now. I want to ensure that it stays that way. When people tell me that I am the most optimistic person they knoe, and that I can put a positive spin on anything, my heart sings. Oh, and on a lighter note, I would like to learn to use insure and ensure properly, as well as affect and effect. Anyone with pointers on this would just make my day.
What do you envision achieving in the next few years?
I plan to build my blog up to very high-traffic. (just a fraction of what Celes is doing would make me happy!)
I plan to complete three self-help books geared towards dating and relationships and possibly spin that off into speaking and coaching.
I plan to start a unique e-publishing business- still in the development stages
What do you most want to see happen?
I’d love to see all ventures take off to the point that I can acquire some level of financial independence and live debt-free.
I’d love to be able to buy a small house in my favorite area. I’m good at living simply, but I want to be in a position where we don’t need to live in the truck full-time (although it’s so easy to save money like this!)
What are the goals and dreams you want to see unfold?
I want to build a business that both my fiance and I can work on full-time and that has unlimited potential for both financial and personal growth. I want to be in a position to help people in my family and my community.
Here’s an example of the position I want to be in: last year, my brother needed emergency brain surgery. He’s self-employed, has no health insurance (kind of a given in the US, unfortunately), has four small boys and his wife is ill.My family is well-loved in the community and everyone rallied round (a good example of good karma coming back). Small contributions poured in from hundreds of people. The very first one was $1000 donated anonymously, although we’re pretty sure we know who it was from. I remember thinking at the time,”I would love to be in the position to just write a check for that amount or more anytime I see someone around me who needs some help.”
I want to be in a position where my finances allow me to give not just money, but time. I feel like I’ve spent so much of my adult life in the rat-race with very little time or energy to give to those outside my immediate circle. I hope I can bring together my business and personal goals to really be a force for good.
My biggest goals for the next few years is to attain my ideal weight with an excellent health because this will give me an excellent edge for a healthier life. A healthy body means a healthy sense of direction with focus, strength, spirituality, and stability.
First I need to get back on track, so graduating college is top priority. Then find a decent job and have enough money to stay out of debts, while working on a way to make my hobbies profitable. Save money and buy an apartment or build a little house for me and my family. These are the goals for next 3 years. Maybe after that I’ll be independent enough and ready for a serious, healthy relationship. So in 5 years from now, I want to have a good job, a comfortable life for my family and a beautiful relationship.
One of the biggest goals for 2012: start my own radio show and finish writing a novel
To have a large enough customer base and product diversity to be financially self-sufficient. I want to be able to pay bills with my profits not just buy more yarn.
To be well enough to drive my car whenever I want to.
To have a more diverse menu of food’s I can eat, enjoy and not get sick from!! To eat out again.
To possibly move out into my own place again.
To be better at accepting my limitations and not being angered by them. To find peace in my body and life as I am now, not just most of the time like I am now but all of the time and unconditionally.
To be on less medication, keeping my body well through balance of foods, supplements, exercise and other wholistic methods.
To grasp the art of meditation and get better at being still and here in the moment with myself and in the quiet and just BE.
To have 4 good days IN A ROW.
To see my mom and sisters happy and at ease with their life choices and pain manangement.
To travel more, and feel good when I get there!
To be well enough to exercise not for vanity sake but for losing weight that is unhealthy for my asthma and other issues.
TO CONTINUE TO BE HAPPY JUST BECAUSE I’M ME AND ENJOY LIFE TO IT’S FULLEST EVERYDAY BETWEEN NOW AND THEN!! :dance:
1) Get my own place.
2) Career: Be able to earn most of my income from my writing career.
3) Travel.
The biggest goals for me is to be more happy, find my path, and find my passion.
I’ve taken the steps to go forward with finding my passion and now to find a more clear path towards fulfilling the passion is my main objective. That initial list may sound like really vague goals, so I guess they are my destinations. The following are more concrete goals towards my path:
1) Get a job in the Interaction Design (IX/UX) field.
2) Travel to 2 new countries every year.
3) Lead a more active lifestyle. Lower my weight to 180 Lbs, exercise more consistently.
4) Healthier eating habits. Cook more, eat more veggies and fruits. (No need to lessen anything else, I
don’t really think I have unhealthy eating patterns, just need to increase nutrition)
5) Connect and engage people at a deeper level. Talk to more people.
6) Express myself more through writing/blogging, talking to people, through my design work, and taking more photographs.
7) Be less paralyzed in my daily life. Carpe diem. Seize the day. Live in the now.
I really don’t like setting goals like this.
I am someone who likes more general and vague-ish goals because then it allows the possibilities of being more creative for solutions to attain my dreams. The hesitation for setting concrete goals is that I believe it narrows the focus too much on being obsessed with specific tasks. (And also the eventual regret and self-loathing when those tasks don’t get done). I believe in just hoping for a better tomorrow and not being too tied down by how I get there.
Ralph Waldo Emerson summed it up the best, “Life is a journey, not a destination”.
1-Making my ideal professions become reality.
2-Having the personal life that fulfill me.
1: A- Becoming a screenwriter
B- Becoming a pilot.
C-Becoming a photographer
D-Helping people
2: Finding Him :), living an amassing love life, creating a wonderful family.
Yes I have to do all this and put my best into them. Life is now, first step is to know what I want, the other steps are turning them to reality. :D
I always feel awkward when the word ´goals´comes around, but today thinking about it, I suddenly realised that I now do have loads of things I do want to accomplish within the next 5 or so years. Cool!!
Gives me a good feeling.
The most important goals are developing myself further;
– Live more, live conscious and enjoy living
– Learn more, maybe take another education or ‘just’ some courses
– Get serious about blogging & writing
– Start a business
– Travel!!
– Move to a house that suits our family needs better
– and then there’s also the baking bread and cooking skills that I really want to develop further! Explore the raw food and raw cakes area, combining healthy food with delicious tastes.
Give my children the opportunity for experiences I was too tired to organise when they were smaller – camping / making / travel / socialising more.
Be more sociable myself – reconnect with old friends now that we have more free time to spend together and discover new people in my area or get to know my acquaintances better.
Become a better listener.
Get our house the way we’d like it and follow a routine to keep it a restful place to be.
Think about having a reading list for myself and reading more and challenging my brain a bit.
Get more efficient / organised at work so we can carve out some days off for bike rides etc.
Get more active so I get fitter. Make some good new habits such as meditation / early beds and early rises / drink adequate amount of water and shop / cook / eat more healthily.
Simplify my house and my life further.
Jotting down ideas as they come:
– win back my lost love,
– learn again to live together,
– being better at training,
– take dancing lessons again and again,
– write my book,
– being better at translating,
– go on working in the disability field,
– travel,
– go on horse riding to enjoy horse riding with my daughter and her father,
– go on enjoying life.
Amazing question!
Over the next few years I hope to have:
– have travelled overseas, such as to a few European countries like France, Spain, England and Portugal.
– be finishing my course in architecture and almost graduating, while already working as an intern somewhere.
– be a person of high regard and expectations of herself. I want to be an example to women in all matters.
– have a cool collection of rocks! Yes rocks, I’ve always wanted a rock collection so yup!
– be able to play basic piano and guitar
– eat a dairy free diet
– have my hair down to my waist(whooo!)
– started some sort of business
– been in a great fantastic relationship
– see a live rock concert
This nice, I should be working on these. I get caught up in the busyness of this town that I onften forget about my goals.
Great reminder! ^^.
What Are Your Biggest Goals for the Next Few Years?
1. Pay off all credit card debts – by financial discipline and living as simply as possible.
2. Buy a new family car – we have a 14 year old sedan now – it still works well but I am afraid to use it for long distance road travel.
3. Renovate the house and add another floor to it – so things won’t get wet when the flood comes and so we don’t have to move things often.
4. Bring my entire family to visit where I grew up and its environs – this would be a first for them.
5. Prepare for retirement – I have 7 years to go before it comes.
As we know “Health is Wealth”. So, one of the biggest Goals of mine is to reduce atleast 20 kg in the next three years.
I’m a little bit overweight and already trying to lose weight through daily exercise and brisk walking in the evening. Recently I reduced 3 kgs. :) Staying fit and healthy gives us happiness and mental peace. I’m a person who is always concerned about health. 3 years ago the situation was just opposite. I used to eat lot of junk food due to which a gained a lot of weight. At that time I was an “EMOTIONAL EATER”.
But now I understood that I have to stop eating junk food and should maintain good eating habits otherwise it will be going to affect not only my health but also it could take a toll on my personal life.
In the last 3 years I only reduced 3 kgs….this is very less if compared to my goal of reducing further 20 kgs in the coming 3 years. What I did in the past 3 years is I maintained my weight by controlling my diet. I didn’t let my weight increase at all in past 3 years. Now I planned to go as per my goal of reducing weight and I know I will achieve success in this. :)
Second goal is for my business of Graphic Designing. Although its running smoothly in my country but I wish to take my business on a large scale and would like to provide my services world wide in the next three years. :) I’m doing my best for this dream of mine to come true and confident enough that I will be successful at this too. :)
Commenting for this post is closed.