Goal Setting- An Eternal Perspective

"Nothing is more invigorating than working hard to fulfill a noble and worthwhile purpose. ..To the person who becomes absorbed in achieving eternal goals, life becomes more abundant. Once you have selected your goals, commit yourself to a carefully developed plan to achieve those goals. Be diligent in following the plan. Account to your Father in Heaven regularly your progress. Do not undertake more than you can reasonably accomplish." --Pursuit of Excellence Booklet

"And see that all these thing are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore all things must be done in order." --- Mosiah 4:27

President Spencer W. Kimball has said, "I believe in goals, but I believe that the individual must set his own. Goals should always be made to a point that will make us reach and strain. Success should not necessarily be gauged by always reaching the goal set, but by progress and attainment."

You are a child of God. You have a vital role to fill in God's Eternal plan. You have been chosen by the Lord to come here to earth at this time to fulfill your special mission and assist the Savior with his work here on earth. Your purpose here is to prove yourself worthy of the eternal blessings that have been promised to the daughters of God...Your Father in Heaven knows you. He knows your mission and wants to help you accomplish it. He knows the blessings that have been prepared for you. If you will trust him, follow his word, and prepare yourself, he has promised that, "The Kingdom is yours, and the blessings thereof are yours." (D&C 78:18)

Joy In The Journey

If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on. For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain. Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. "What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "We plan to dig a hole all the way to the earth!" one of the brother volunteered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.

After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors. Then he said quietly and confidently, "Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!"

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for-- to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging! But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor will be completed. Not every dream will be realized. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, "Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!" It is in the digging that life is lived. And I believe it is joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.