Reaching down

When you think about the coming year or the time ahead it is challenging to really come up with something that represents what might be ahead. I thought a little about goals the last few days. Often over the years I have sat down and reviewed goals and set new ones. Ben Franklin wrote some good advice about goals. He suggested we focus on 13 goals and that we spend a week on each of them.

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Temperance

Silence

Order

Resolution

Frugality

Industry

Sincerity

Justice

Moderation

Cleanliness

Tranquility

Chastity

Humility

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The focus on each of these areas worked for Ben Franklin. He was pretty wealthy by the time he was middle age. On the other hand is getting wealthy what goals ought to be about? It seems like in some ways goals are about running a race and the winner somehow beats the others. A few weeks ago I saw a commercial that I thought might be a good case for "not setting goals". Not trying to win the race in life. The event shown in the commercial was a race. Some down-syndrome kids lined up at the starting line. All were smiling. All were happy. The parents on the sidelines looked excited for their kids. The kids were ready and the race started. They ran. The parents smiled. All were excited. (on their way towards the goal of finishing or maybe winning) Soon a little boy fell. He went down. His parents looked on in shock. He looked so sad. His happy face was changed. A little girl looked back. She stopped. She went back and "reached down" and pulled him up. The started to run. The others looked back. The waited. They locked arms and ran together when the little girl and boy caught up. The parents smiled. The faces were all happy. They finished together. The goal was not winning it should have been finishing and they did it together. Life is an opportunity at times to reach down and pull up and stop and wait. Wonder how old Ben Franklin could have worked this idea into his 13 steps for success. What a better way. Good reason to set no goals that involve winning and beating those around us. On the other hand we have to develop the talents we are given. Interesting how to do both. Reach down, develop our talents. Are goals needed?