To Goal Set or Not to Goal Set?

I belong to a really great online group that’s packed with encouraging people who want to help everyone reach their full potential. So when I was offered some free coaching, I couldn’t say no. Of course, with the way my life plans have been going, I was a bit skeptical. Do you know how many life goals I’ve set over the past 20 years? I know some of them came through, probably more than I realize, but what about my big life goals? I’m afraid to look because I already know the answer.

God has taken my life on a couple of detours seemingly away from my goals. Why? Because I wasn’t working hard enough or maybe it wasn’t my time? I’m not sure. I wanted my blog Writer…Interrupted to be this amazing place where busy writers could connect and share and find encouragement, and some did. But it didn’t have the numbers like those other blogs. or the comments. I’m sure it was all that to some, but it didn’t meet my BIG dream expectations.

I wanted to write best-selling novel after novel, and in the last 20 years I’ve only completed 3. (Sold 2) And I have about a half dozen half-completed novels in my computer. Is it because I didn’t work hard enough or write fast enough? Probably, but when you’re dealing with other serious life issues, who has the emotional energy to write?

It’s becoming more and more clear that these past 10 or 20 years wasn’t really about what God wanted to do through me (though I know he did some great stuff,) but I think it was more about creating me to be the person he wants me to be so I can do the things I am called to do.

But I thought, if someone wants to give me free coaching, I’m all for it. I started filling out the coaching goal sheet and was stumped right from the start. I’m not sure why it’s hard for me to set a 5-year goal. Maybe because I have no idea what tomorrow or next month will look like. Maybe because I’ve been trying and striving and doing for the past 20 years with no real results, and I’m tired. Maybe because I’ve had to put my trust and faith in God to steer this ship through the dead of night on very troubled seas.

And one thought led to another. Do you think there’s a time to goal set and a time to do nothing? I’m not sure. Maybe instead of 5-year goals, I need 5-week goals. 5-hour goals if I’m keeping it real! I don’t know what the answer is, but all the work of goal setting seems exhausting, and I need every ounce of energy just to make it through today.

All this pressure to do and create, and all I want to do is be.

Nothing wrong with being a Mary when all my life I’ve been a Martha. Guess I’ve reached that goal! Thanks for listening to my random ramblings. Now where did I put that “to-do” list?