Are We There Yet? by Jim Stovall

Anyone who has ever taken a long road trip or even a short road trip with a child, has no doubt repeatedly heard the question, “Are we there yet?”  While all road trips eventually come to an end, the question, “Are we there yet?” applies to all of us in our personal and professional lives.  The simple answer to that question is a resounding, “No, we‘re not there yet, and we never will be.” 

Every goal, objective, or milestone in our lives feels like the end of something as if we are arriving at our final destination.  In reality, we are merely taking stock of where we are before we launch the next leg of our journey.  There are times in which our lives seem to be in utter chaos, nothing makes sense, and everything seems awkward and out of sync; but inevitably we eventually reach a milestone or achieve one of our goals. From that vantage point, we can mentally look back along the route we took to reach the plateau where we are now standing.  As we mentally review all the steps and challenges of our recent journey, we come to the inevitable conclusion that, while it may have seemed chaotic, the path we took was the only way to get from where we were to where we are.

It is important to have short-term and mid-range goals as we are moving through our lives.  If all you have is a ten year plan with a long-term objective, it is hard to feel a sense of urgency as your goal is so far away you always feel as if you can start tomorrow or next week or next year. 

On the other hand, if all you have are daily goals, it is too easy to get sidetracked for a day and feel as if you are completely off course.  A flat tire, head cold, or power outage can derail anyone’s daily plans.  We must have mid-range goals that seem lofty enough to inspire us while being short enough to give us a sense of urgency. 

If, on the first day of grade school, the teacher had told your class that our goal is to get a master’s degree or a Ph.D., it would have been impossible for any first grader to even relate to the statement.  On the other hand, if, on the first day of school, you were told that the only thing that mattered was the math lesson you would be learning during the next 20 minutes, your entire educational goal could be derailed by a routine fire drill. 

I have had the privilege of working with thousands of people in one-on-one sessions as they plan their goals.  There is no right or wrong answer as to how long your short-term, mid-range, and large goals should be.  Your feelings and attitudes are the barometer you should use.  You should be feeling urgency without feeling overwhelmed, and you should feel that your goals are aggressive while still feeling they are attainable.

As you go through your day today, take control of your goals, and you will take control of your destiny.

Today’s the day!