Ask the Readers: What Are Your Top 3 Life Goals?

Alliston Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 21:16 pm

Well, the most important thing to me is to be together forever with my bride. For some reasons, we’re separatted by now, but we’re doing all we can to marry, soon.
The second thing is to have financial stability. But of course, work with things I like.
And for last, one thing that everybody wants, and a thing that will came like a result of the others that I wrote: be happy ^^

Shanel Yang Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 21:17 pm

This promises to be a great thread! My 3 life goals are: (1) my own TV show giving gives advice to teens, immigrants, and minorities answering basic questions about how to succeed in the U.S. (think Sesame Street for an older crowd; or, alternately, the Suze Orman show but for personal development, not just personal finance); (2) get to my target weight and stay there (which is why I started a 100% water fast today and expect to drop 28 lbs. in 14 days and keeping a log about my progress at http://shanelyang.com/2008/07/03/fasting-log-day-1/ ; and (3) publish an inspiring yet fun to read novel for kids/teens.

Jarrod - Warrior Development Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 21:28 pm

#1 To bring people lasting peace, happiness and freedom
#2 To learn everything about myself and the world
#3 To discover greater and greater peace, happiness and freedom

I guess they are not really goals. More like missions that take place in every moment, that’s what I think of when I hear ‘life goals’.

Thomas Herold Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 21:35 pm

1. Helping others to fulfill their dreams in life

2. Living in an an eco village

Cheers

Thomas Herold
CEO Dream Manifesto

Adam Sicinski @ Study Matrix Art Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:06 pm

My goals are more to do with a state of being and experience rather than actual physical accomplishments:

#1 - To be happy and fulfilled within my professional career
#2 - To raise a wonderful, happy and healthy family
#3 - To grow and develop myself on a daily basis so that I am able to reach my full potential in every experience and endeavor.

On my blog I have created a Goal Setting Mind Map that you guys might find useful in helping you to set and achieve your goals. I hope you like it. It is free to dowload and distribute :)

April Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:14 pm

1. Build a tiny house with my husband
2. Continue self-education
3. Travel more

Dave Bullock Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:21 pm

I actually put these in a list a few months ago:

1) Change the world

2) Create beautiful photographs

3) Help people

sunny Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:25 pm

To see my girls living successfully on their own.

Retire and not have to eat pet food

Camp at every national park in the US

ZenTurtle Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:34 pm

To own land that I can build a home on and have a small farm.

To film my own independent movie.

To travel the world by sale boat.

Kris Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:39 pm

1, 2, and 3 To live mindfully. If I can do this I think everything else will follow.

Quiet Dragon Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:45 pm

1. To continue the work i’ve started on my inner disciplines.
2. To make good on my goal of having positive effects on the lives of others, even in small ways, every day.
3. To begin Airstreaming the U.S. full-time, with my wife, by the age of 50. (or sooner, depending on financial status.)

Ben Clapton Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:50 pm

1) To get a permanent position in an orchestra somewhere around the world

2) To share my love of music with as many people as possible

3) To travel, learning about the world and its peoples.

Debbi Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 22:57 pm

1. To get my next novel published (and many more after that).

2. To travel and see as much of the world as I can.

3. To contribute toward raising awareness of and finding a cure for dystonia (the third most common movement disorder after Parkinson’s and tremors).

Devan Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 23:10 pm

1. To raise my two boys to be positive, enthusiastic people who will make a difference in the world

2. To travel to obscure corners of this planet and experience life in different cultures

3. To leave a lasting legacy behind that will have made a difference to lots of people

fran snyder Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 23:14 pm

Top Goals:

1. To create a network of thousands of living room concerts, which allow artists to perform in intimate spaces, for attentive audiences, without having their pay decided by how much alcohol is sold.

2. To grow as an artist, husband, and member of my community.

3. To overcome many of my limiting beliefs, so I can spend more time feeling inspired instead of overwhelmed and confused.

Heather Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 23:21 pm

1) To figure out what I want to be when I grow up. (read: figure out what it is that I am actually pationate about and go after it)
2) Be the best parent and then (hopefully not toooo soon) the best Gramma I can be.
3) Grow old “healthfully”… I want quality as well as quantity in my years.

Brandon Lee Tenney Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 23:29 pm

(1) become financially independent, stay financially independent, and never use credit again

(2) to write a screenplay that is bought, produced, and filmed and becomes a critical and commercial success

(3) to have children with a loving and faithful wife

…but, to achieve all life goals, smaller short-term goals are my immediate focus!

Shelley Says:

July 3rd, 2008, 23:40 pm

Keep matchmaking.

Keep writing haiku.

Be present to myself and others.

I’m not sure how stable this list is, but it’s interesting to think about. Thank you, Leo, and everyone else brave enough to go ahead and type their words out loud here.

Leela Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:04 am

1. Become an influential science-fiction artist/ illustrator.

2. Become a skilled socializer capable of getting along with and relating to others.

3. Understand myself and others.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:05 am

After looking at all the things I wanted to be when I was growing up, I noticed a pattern. All of them, from movie director to human rights lawyer, had to do with other people. I always loved being an entertainer. I loved using my sense of humor to cheer people up and ultimately make their lives a little better. That’s how I came to realize my mission in life is to uplift, inspire, and ultimately change the world.

That basically means I go out everyday and spend my time doing things that add value to my life and the lives of other people. And there are tons of those. Every time I read a book, go running, or do a favor for a friend, I like to believe I make a small difference in the world. Silly as it may sound, I believe those things add value to my life and I believe that value gets passed on to everyone around me.

That’s my key to happiness. It’s just a case of living one day at a time and making sure every day counts. It’s about doing little things that have a huge impact. A smile here and a compliment there really go a long way! In the end you realize that happiness is a choice and that you might as well be happy because 99% of the time there’s no reason not to.

Sonja Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:07 am

1 - Learn how to play the piano.

2 - Write a book.

3 - Travel to every country in the world.

Good thing you only asked for the top 3 :) I have a really long life list.

chris Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:07 am

Top 3 Goals!

1. Create an educational model that will revolutionize education.

2. Write a novel or two.

3. Grow very very old with my wife.

Arlo Meyering Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:13 am

First of all I want to work in a job that I like, second I want to live in Australia (currently Germany) and third I want to be happy :)

Elvira Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:41 am

i) To be in tune with Spirit.

ii) To have balance.

iii) To give back.

Ann at One Bag Nation Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:46 am

1. Raise an empathetic, independent, joyful daughter.
2. Stop dieting forever
3. Travel to the Italian Riviera

Nicole Says:

July 4th, 2008, 0:55 am

1. Honour and cherish everyday I have with the love of my life and the future children we may have

2. Make a difference in the fight against obesity.

3. Overcome my personal weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

Emma Says:

July 4th, 2008, 1:04 am

1. Raise happy, healthy children.
2. Have a happy, loving, faithful marriage.
3. Be successful in a job that allows me to be successful in other areas of life (work/life balance and also enough to pay for the life part!)

I know that I have the ability and the means to become so much more. I could travel the world, become a famous dancer, teach hundreds of people, or become a powerful businesswoman. But all I’ve experienced in life has shown me that I love the simple pleasures the deepest.

Sarah Says:

July 4th, 2008, 1:15 am

Well, I’ve got a bit more thinking to do before I construct a list of my own, but I just wanted to pop in and say THANK YOU to all those whose list includes helping others in some way.

It is really heart-warming to read so many courageous goals, by people who obviously care deeply about even one small ’section’ of humanity — and hey, even if that ’small section’ is only one other indivudal!

The world needs more people like you folks.

Martin Says:

July 4th, 2008, 1:29 am

I am mostly with @sunny — see the girls grow up is great.

1 - Franchise my business so that at some point we can take a break while still growing it further
2 - Learn how to take things a little easier
3 - Find a new passion in life to keep me occupied

Sassamifrass Says:

July 4th, 2008, 1:39 am

- To get my mind and body working together soundly; to achieve optimum health essentially, to support whatever I wish to do in life.

- To become so good at bellydancing that I can dance with the professionals and look like I belong there

- To fully realise a fictional world which I can share online and use to teach scientific principles, history, and stimulate the imaginations of others

Darth Brooks Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:06 am

To Hit It

To Kick Ass

To Die

Kate Saltfleet Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:08 am

1. To be financially free to live my life the way I choose.

2. To have a loving and fulfilling personal relationship.

3. To inspire and help other people in their life journey.

david h Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:19 am

Off the top of my head:

* Live a life of love and realize all my potential. Exactly what this means, I’m not sure of yet.
* Find someone to love and raise a wonderful family with.
* Somehow reach financial independence.

Wow! That felt really good to write. Than you Leo and everybody else for the motivation!

anon Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:28 am

1. Honor and cherish my family: be with and care for my parents and my husband’s parents as they age, stay close with my brother and his family, continue to find joy and trust with my husband, raise the children we hope to have very soon. Include friends who are like family to me.

2. Lean about the world and use that knowledge: continue my career in medical research and clinical practice, letting my curiosity and desire to understand the profound guide me in my attempts to improve the quality of human life at each point at which we experience it.

3. Find, create, recognize and treasure joy.

Salesian Boy Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:50 am

1. To be in conrtol of my thoughts. Viktor Krankel (sp?) idea - if I can do this then I can be content, happy or whatever no matter what the circumstances

2. Live and love wisely every day

3. And to leave the most positive possible legacy after me when I do “shake off this mortal” skin.

Lars Says:

July 4th, 2008, 2:54 am

My 3 top life goals, ordered:

#1: Contentment
#2: Knowledge & Understanding
#3: Teaching

No, I’m neither teacher by profession nor buddhist by faith.

corey Says:

July 4th, 2008, 3:03 am

1. Bring peace to the world by increasing world prosperity and facilitating understanding between current enemies

2. Nurture my strengths and those of others

3. Have the ability to make people happy and energized to do great things.

Andrew Scotchmer Says:

July 4th, 2008, 3:24 am

1. My life goal is to be working from home 2 days a week by this time next year without loss of income, meaning I only have to leave the house for 3 days. This is because my wife has fallen pregnant with our first child and I want to spend the majority of time with them, not with my colleagues.

2. To do this I’ve focused on marketing my strengths to potential clients and broken down my goal into 12 managable chunks, one for each month, with a to-do list for each month.

3. As these chunks are small and easily managable, if something comes along one month and disrupts them, it won’t be too hard to get back on track the following month.

As a reminder and performance tracker, and to keep me motivated, I wrote my plan down and gave it it’s own dedicated page on my blog and by using this method I cannot foresee any reason as to why it cannot work.

Jonathan B. Says:

July 4th, 2008, 3:34 am

1. Live a life of integrity and happiness.

2. Marry a like-minded partner to spend my life with.

3. Have a fulfilling career that gives me way more than just a lot of money.

Sara Says:

July 4th, 2008, 3:41 am

I haven’t really thought about these. I mean, I HAVE, but I don’t think of them as life goals in terms of “things to do before I die.” I think of them in terms of “ways to be throughout life.” Y’know? Anyway:

1) Rejoice in living presently.
2) Be in love
3) Help others

sharfah Says:

July 4th, 2008, 4:04 am

I’m going to be more specific about my goals:

1. Travel the world
2. Make new friends
3. Get a 6-pack

stinder_ Says:

July 4th, 2008, 4:12 am

1. Find a wonderful woman to live with her till the end
2. Only doing work that I really appreciate
3. Learn as much as possible

Chris Says:

July 4th, 2008, 4:20 am

Writing these down (again) makes me realise that I need to focus more on actually achieving these!

1) Generate Income without a 9-5 job, or at least create my own business that I love to work at.

2) Be in a band - I’m a guitarist - just a covers band for a laugh, rather that a world conquering super band.

3) Be Happy and Healthy

Mikael Says:

July 4th, 2008, 4:28 am

1. Constantly work on becoming better at everything that I do.

2. Enjoying the journey of live.

3. Make a positive difference in other peoples lives.

Everything else will come from those.

Andrei Says:

July 4th, 2008, 4:58 am

Become financially independent, find true love and on the way change the world to be a better place

Ulla Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:18 am

1. Work on my creative skills (taking photographs, writing for my blog)
2. keep on learning and be open for new things
3. stay in contact with people I like and I can learn from; make new contacts with people I can learn from; share my knowledge with them.

Ondřej Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:20 am

1) Create internet startup & company which provide me some money that i will not have to work in Wendys or MCDonald as a part-time
2)Work on my physique, gain 5 more kilograms of muscles & to win my first fight in thai boxing
3)Find long term relationship with some smart girl who i simply love

michael Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:25 am

health, wealth and hot sex!

Julian Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:32 am

1. To end my doctorate thesis on Social Creativity (it is at 80%).
2. To keep at hand my lots of books, notes, clippings, etc. (I mean in order of battle).
3. To keep my marriage as happy as it has been during the last 49 years (we are more than 70).

rainbow_blessings Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:38 am

1. to practice being a loving person
2. to anchor my sense of peace and security WITHIN me and not outside of me…to be inner referented.
3. to be a published writer

MichelleNZ Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:56 am

To Live with integrity - I do what I say I’m going to do

To Enjoy life - being healthy, present, grateful and having fun

To be generous and make a difference in the world

Dan Says:

July 4th, 2008, 5:58 am

1. Give up hope in the future.
2. Make peace with my existence.
3. Live my love.

pavs Says:

July 4th, 2008, 6:03 am

1) To be happy, content.

2) Happy my own education institute college in a third world, developing, poor, country.

3) Do something positive that will make a lasting impression on the world in a very positive way for many years to come and will benifit many many people.

Mindaugas Baranauskas Says:

July 4th, 2008, 6:07 am

I stated my life purpose as Follows: “Interesting and joyfull life of freedom, understanding and simplicity for me and others”. To live my life puspose my current top 3 goals is
1. lay fondation for long term stong health.
2. work for my plesure and on my chosen time.
3. become financially independant

Carles Iborra Sánchez Says:

July 4th, 2008, 6:36 am

At first, sorry for my bad english im trying to improve it.

1. Reach goals of my life
2. Reach happines inside me
3. Extend happines outside me

Be happy!

nudgeme Says:

July 4th, 2008, 6:44 am

I loved this post and especially people’s comments and their ability to share what really matters to them. Just writing down important life goals is a big first step in achieving them, and the next is to ask yourself “what’s currently stopping you?” And then what? And then what? Until you get to the point where any fears you have or perceived barriers just don’t seem to affect you or hold you back anymore. So often life has a habit of getting in the way of what really matters, and this post was wonderful for helping people to just stop for a minute and take stock. One of my own personal, if not life, goals is to think and do - don’t worry about getting it right, just get going.

Andrew Says:

July 4th, 2008, 7:10 am

1. Become rich
2. Marry a beautiful, caring, intelligent wife
3. Save the world

Paul Freeman Says:

July 4th, 2008, 7:46 am

There’s some really cool comments in here already, but topping my top three goals in life currently:

1) Work From a Beach - In December I’ll be leaving for South East Asia to Travel, and try my hand at travel writing and some blogging and website projects - The logic been since all I need to do my job is a computer, why would I stay in a sleepy little town in the north of England when I can work just as well sitting in a hammock on a desert island.
2) Travel The World and Be Useful Along the Way - This sort of carries on from the first one, with a keep moving slant to it. I don’t really have the sort of mentality to want to save the world, but I do want to do my bit to help, so as part of my travel plans I’m looking at things like work on organic farms with WWOOF.
3) Be Awesome.

Vered Says:

July 4th, 2008, 7:57 am

I don’t think I have a “top three”… I basically have one major goal: to relax, let go of perfectionism/ overachieving and enjoy NOW rather than race toward goals that are ultimately not important.

Mikael Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:04 am

@Vered, why not enjoy now WHILE striving for goals worth achieving? (I agree that racing towards goals that are not important is a waste of time).

q-ma Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:23 am

To be happy, understanding & intelligent

ckutzner Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:29 am

My first two goals are quite clear:
#1 - create
#2 - help others unleash their authentic, individual creativity

#3 is less clear. Perhaps: be a great friend and partner, have a life of fun and fulfillment with great people.

Brandon Watkins Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:38 am

1) Become financially free and independent.
2) Experience as many places and as many people as I possibly can.
3) Promote sustainability in my life, business and society - touching on any relevant aspect - through writing, speaking, and consulting.

Toward #3, I have started my own blog, Simple Sustainability, which discusses the use of minimalist design principles (from any/every discipline) to create more sustainable businesses. It is at http://simplesustainability.blogspot.com/

Cindy Marsch Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:54 am

To glorify God
To enjoy Him forever
To steward and enjoy the people and circumstances He brings to me in this world

widget Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:55 am

1. Create successful World Wide Web Company.
2. Balance in life: sports, wisdom, spirituality, freedom.
3. Nice girl :)

Pete Says:

July 4th, 2008, 8:55 am

1. The success of my company - http://www.ReimagineIt.com

2. To make a feature length movie.

3. To get my black belt in Jiu Jitsu.

http://www.YinVsYang.com

Miguel de Luis Says:

July 4th, 2008, 9:00 am

Wow, what a question.

1.- To be a saint (don’t be too shocked, please :) )
2.- To have a family
3.- To write

CJ Says:

July 4th, 2008, 9:40 am

This is a great post! My life goals are the same as the most popular here: better finances, true love, happiness or helping others. I work on it every day.

When I read so many like-minded posts, it simply makes the world smaller and reminds me of how much we all have in common.

Rich Says:

July 4th, 2008, 9:40 am

These may not actually be goals, but here goes.
To live my life with

- passion
- trust
- caring

Jess Says:

July 4th, 2008, 9:46 am

My goals reflect my fundamental priorities in life:
1. Family - Love them, spend time together and learn and grow with each other.
2. Health - Live a life that keeps me fit physically, mentally and spirtually.
3. Success in my endeavors (to support #1 and #2) - Apply my skills and background to take calculated risks to achieve financial independence on my own terms to support my top priorities.

Thanks.

Katie Says:

July 4th, 2008, 9:57 am

-Have a family

- Finish the many books I have started to write but stopped for some reason

- Continue to develop professionally throughout my career

Chris Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:07 am

1. To complete a marathon.
2. To compete in a body building competition (obviously can not be simultaneous with the marathon training)
3. To travel around the world

Marc and Angel Hack Life Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:20 am

1. To love a much as possible.
2. To learn as much as possible.
3. To smile as much as possible.

Jeff@MySuperChargedLife Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:23 am

It is good to see so many goals about marriage and family! Here are mine:

1) Stay married and together raise our daughters to be healthy, productive adults.

2) Become the millionaire next door.

3) Spend ample time traveling the world, meeting interesting people, and having numerous adventures.

These are what I consider the keys to living life to the fullest!

Darlene Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:25 am

1. Live in a positive way that contributes to the well-being of whoever or whatever I come in contact with (this includes the Earth).
2. Love enormously.
3. Contribute and be as productive as I can, for as long as I can.

Matthew Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:34 am

Hey Mate!

Top 3 goal’s yea???

1) Get a 350 + on my OAT on August 20th 2008
2) Get into a great optometry school for fall 2009
3) Get my blog http://www.thegrowingroom.net to get some more readers! hahah!

Leo, are you back from vacation yet? I have a vibe that you are still away but I am not sure..

Well hopefully you are enjoying yourself no matter what!
Cya Leo,
Matt

Mike OD - The IF Life Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:39 am

- Live a Life Worth Living, No Regrets Ever

- Help Others to Find Happiness and Health

- Live in the Present Moment…All the Time.

Hestia Says:

July 4th, 2008, 10:56 am

Of course these will change as things always do. Right now, they are:

1. See the Grand Canyon. Yes, sounds trivial to some but I want to hike down into it and raft out .. I want to see that immensity up close and personal. It just gets to me right to my core.
2. Live mindfully .. I’m immersed in Eckhard Tolle right now and weaving his teachings into my life.
3. Live well into old age.

Renato Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:08 am

Have my own company, with my wife as my partner. This would allow me to share more time with my family (kids included) while I am still making money. I don’t want to be a lazy rich, I enjoy working. Second, I would like to live in North America or Europe. I live in Venezuela and I would like to live in a place where my kids have more opportunities to develop and grow, and in a safe place. Third, I want to leave something for the future: a book, a park, a statue… something to give hope to anyone who looks/reads/walks at it.
These are my goals.

rams Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:28 am

straight to the point !kinda ambitioous

1.Attain state of buddhism
2.witness truth
3.Build cutting edge robots

Hassan - web designer in Toronto Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:37 am

Hey,

My top 3 goals in life

1) Die for something I believe in
2) Travel the world and document cultures
3) Love with truth to myself and others without fear

Kate Smith Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:47 am

Dear Friends,

I have communicated with several of you and want to share my thoughts:

This will be a glorious year! The parent body is energized and very enlightened! This is a “transition” year in personnel (the “head teacher” is mostly for school district purposes), not in operation, so the proper term is RENEWAL—no “re-structuring.”

Personally, my goal is to document the school year and submit it for a Nobel Peace Prize. From the First Day of School to the year-end Pancake Breakfast, there are stories to share. Think about it—a school is the only thing in the world that doesn’t grow old—teachers lead the children and parents in a never-ending cycle of celebrations. There is magic and miracle every day.

“Child-centered” is an educational philosophy alive and well at OAS—Aristotle, John Dewey, Howard Gardner; “teacher-directed” is methodology and curriculum; “parent-involved” is a simple matter of good volunteer management and meeting facilitation. (Perplexed? There’s Sergiovanni’s Building Community in Schools or Straus and Doyle’s How to Make Meetings Work—never read them myself but I used to work for David Straus. I prefer picture story books.) My “art” is articulation and celebration.

Rachel Gately and Taymar Pixley are producing a video documentary—Gwen Phillips is “The Head Teacher”, Liz Varni-Rivera is “The Master Teacher” and OAS is “The School of Our Dreams”. Perfect casting! As the “torch” is handed off to Nitin and Alex, let’s articulate who and what we are. We have thirty-three years of revelations and reflection to compile. Ever see the Academy-award winning film, “He Makes Me Feel Like Dancing?” Gwen Phillips plays the piano and hopefully will accompany us as we sing The Songs. (She makes me feel like singing!)

Cheers!

Kate

Genesis Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:56 am

1. Raise my sons to be happy, healthy young men who are able and confident to do anything they desire.
2. Become a filmmaker . . . hopefully successful.
3. Reach the point where I can live anywhere in the world without having to spend my days slaving away for money.

Winston Says:

July 4th, 2008, 11:57 am

1. Stay Happy
2. Financial Security
3. Babies

Easy!

Alison Wiley Says:

July 4th, 2008, 12:00 pm

I want my life to be a blessing to the earth and all its species. Any three goals I could name would all come down to that. I am working toward that goal with my writings in http://www.diamondcutlife.org/. Blessings to you!

Rahul Says:

July 4th, 2008, 12:08 pm

My top three life goals are:

• To learn as much I can about the world around me and how to better it.
• To help others around me, whether that is friends/family or complete strangers.
• To live with complete peace and happiness inside of me and not let others effect that.

The last one I am sure I can play around with the words but that’s always how it seems to come out! Great post Leo!

Harley Says:

July 4th, 2008, 12:12 pm

Simple.

1) Live
2) Laugh
3) Love

SpaceAgeSage Says:

July 4th, 2008, 12:26 pm

Help people reach their potential by offering them tools to unburden themselves from insecurity, unhealthy boundaries, unresolved issues, self-doubt, and bad habits.

Help people stop being victims who don’t “own their own stuff” so they can fully embrace the liberty found in personal responsibility.

Learn to impart all of the above with more love, helpfulness, compassion, passion, and fun.

what are your top life goals, what are your dreams, what is your mission in life?

Stephen Smith Says:

July 4th, 2008, 12:29 pm

Wow, 90 comments already on a Holiday! You folks have your act together. Thanks so much for the insightful and creative goals.

ken Says:

July 4th, 2008, 13:28 pm

• to be rich
• to be healthy
• to be happy

Yin Teing Says:

July 4th, 2008, 13:28 pm

1. To be able to inspire others like how I have been inspired
2. To be able to heal
3. To love and care for people who are truly important in my life

Kathy Says:

July 4th, 2008, 13:55 pm

To perform to the fullest whatever tasks God sets before me.

To grow spiritually.

To accomplish earthly goals with total committed fervor and with good intent.

Jen Lawrence Says:

July 4th, 2008, 14:45 pm

Hey, this is a great thread.

1. Hold my children’s children (if they want children, that is)

2. Publish a book that brings joy to others

3. Learn to meditate

Alecia D. Says:

July 4th, 2008, 14:58 pm

I have soooo many goals… to narrow them down to the most important three..hmmm.. kind of challenging, but here goes–

1. To become and maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit

2. To become finanically FREE while enjoying what I do for work

3. To continue learning (get another degree- or two, learn a new language- fluently, and learn an instrument- proficiently!

Elvira Says:

July 4th, 2008, 15:12 pm

I never subscribe to comments but I did to this one. Just about every one makes me smile and I think, yes, I have that goal too. Thank you for this gift.

J.C. Says:

July 4th, 2008, 15:17 pm

To learn how to paint again.
To learn how to write again.
To learn not to worry again.
Thanks, great question.

Eric F. Says:

July 4th, 2008, 16:00 pm

Hmm… good question, didn’t really give it a good time to ponder. Some ideas, but nothing really life-centric. One would be to have my own bursarie foundation which gives 1000$(CAD) each year for studies in urban planning and transports.

Did you notice ? Most life goals are vague and not easy to identify as ’succed’. What is a healthy body and mind ? How can you do this when you live near a highway and thus, the air quality is lower than average ?

How come most life goals are vague and poorly defined ? Instead of ‘traveling more’ how about ‘visiting all continents ?’, ‘travelling to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland and France’ ?

Have a good day by fulfilling your day’s objective ;-)

Rex Havoc Says:

July 4th, 2008, 16:17 pm

The truly enlightened are aware there are no goals. All is now as it should be, and perfect as it is.

You are not Zen…

Rex

DiscoveredJoys Says:

July 4th, 2008, 16:41 pm

1) To run a marathon (done)

2) To write a database management system in BASIC (done)

3) To write a book (in progress)

As it happens, the first goal taught me a lot about physical discipline, the second about intellectual discipline, and the third about spiritual discipline (probably).

Keith Says:

July 4th, 2008, 17:35 pm

1) Be financially free. Not because I crave wealth, but because I want to do the other things that cost money, like…

2) Travel. Anywhere. Everywhere. What better way to gain a better perspective on the world and my own (small) place in it.

3) Always be learning. Any and all kinds. For example, I only speak English. I’d like to learn more. To do it formally costs money. To do it through travel costs money. Yeah… the interconnectedness of it all.

Kevin Xu Says:

July 4th, 2008, 17:57 pm

Oh I love this topic!

1) To master Chinese, Japanese, and Korean
2) Write a book
3) Have the world know my name

Hayden Tompkins Says:

July 4th, 2008, 19:59 pm

1. To transform money from an impediment into an asset.

2. To transform my body from an impediment into an asset.

3. To love fully and move through the universe with an open heart.

Jenny Blake Says:

July 4th, 2008, 20:30 pm

For the next five years:

1. Finish a marathon
2. Go on a safari in Africa
3. Complete a Yoga Teacher Certification program in Greece

Live Big, everybody!

Jenny

Maura Says:

July 4th, 2008, 20:48 pm

Just 3?

nick Says:

July 4th, 2008, 21:09 pm

1. soulmate
2. understand god/universe
3. make one significant contribution to the human race(invention)

tiffanie Says:

July 4th, 2008, 21:45 pm

1. achieve financial freedom
2. travel the world
3. make a difference in the lives of others (i’m in college to earn my degree in counseling/psychology and human services)

Paula Says:

July 4th, 2008, 22:52 pm

#1 Finally have our dream house built (permits are finally pending, after 7 years).

#2 Give my son his wings as he goes to college in the fall.

#3 Go wherever my creativity takes me in my life and marriage.

Thank you for asking Says:

July 5th, 2008, 0:20 am

1. Die while giving my live meaning (by helping others - this can take years!)
2. Attain financial freedom (by generating enough money to be self sustaining)
3. To make other people understand that they can make a difference in this world.

Anna Says:

July 5th, 2008, 0:54 am

Wonderful question!

1. Do my part to help children become curious, critically-thinking, happy adults.

2. Keep shifting from reactive to proactive.

3. Be a curious, crtically-thinking, happy adult.

tim woodhead Says:

July 5th, 2008, 4:20 am

I dont have any goals .I’ve realised actually I am pretty comfortable at the moment ,but,I want some direction and
something to aim for .I dont want to drift through life yet I dont know what I want .Guess I need to do some soul searching .

prometeo Says:

July 5th, 2008, 7:53 am

1. Set clear priorities and day by day stay focused on what’s important and shed the rest.

2. Grow my family in health of the spirit, loving each other, curious about the world but steady on the centrality of the family

3. Grow my kids free, corageous, confident by letting them understand that money is not wealth and that they can choose to live in a system (maybe not in the US) where they aren’t born with “the original sin” of being into debts. Like my wife and me have done.

Scott Says:

July 5th, 2008, 8:17 am

As an actor, I’ve found it’s easy to get pulled off course chasing fame, or opportunity, or money. Similarly, it’s easy to get pulled the other way by rejection or bouts of un- or under-employment. I’ve found having a mission statement to be hugely helpful to remind me why I’m doing this in the first place.

My Mission Statement: To entertain and enlighten people all over the world.

I’ve also found that goal setting helps gets your goals done, and you have to keep moving the goalposts! That said, my current big temporal goals are to win an Academy Award, visit Paris and Venice, stay at my goal weight of a lean 168, pay off the house, keep improving balance of work and family . . .

Mary Says:

July 5th, 2008, 9:23 am

My top life goal is to be able to die knowing that I left nothing undone and that I did as little harm as possible.

My more immediate goals are to
- continue creating my website to help others who find themselves unemployed in this difficult economy,
-to help my children leave the nest with all of the tools they need to survive and thrive, including a work ethic, life skills and education,
-and finally just to love - everyone I come in contact with, including myself.

Of course, these are in no particular order. :)

Michael Moniz Says:

July 5th, 2008, 9:30 am

Top 3 goals:

To always make a difference

To always keep learning and taking risks

To always keep smiling and be happier

Evert de Ruiter Says:

July 5th, 2008, 10:44 am

My 3 main goals are:

1. Being financially ‘free’.

2. Becoming a well rounded person (i.e. like the great rennaissance men, like Da Vinci).

3. I want to see everything the world has to offer.

Pieter Says:

July 5th, 2008, 13:12 pm

1 ) Happiness
2 ) A happy life for those special people around me (esp. my wife)
3 ) Get all those random thoughts out of my head and onto a piece of paper (in the form of a novel)

Tdukes Says:

July 5th, 2008, 13:47 pm

Three Life Goals:
1) Simplicity
2) An Awakened Mind
3) A Fully Enlivened Heart

Wilken Hustedt Says:

July 5th, 2008, 14:25 pm

Health
Happiness
Success

Steph Says:

July 5th, 2008, 14:38 pm

Great post, Leo!

@Adam from Study Matrix Art - thanks for directing us to your site! I found your post really helpful in making the following 3 life goals - and your mind map is very cool.

1) Conscious and self-sustainable living - this goal is motivated by loving the Earth, myself and others.

2) Healthy, happy and fulfilling relationship for life - motivated by gratitude for my current relationship. A life goal like this is a constant reminder to love and respect my hubby (and myself because I deserve a loving relationship!).

3) Achieve total health and teach others. Motivated by self-love and love for others. Already in progress as I’ve lost over 50 lbs and 50 inches on my health journey, and I’m sharing how in my total health blog, Live Lighter.

Thanks for sharing, everyone!

Leonard J. Waks Says:

July 5th, 2008, 22:12 pm

My top three are:

1. Continue to enjoy my wonderful wife and family (including my fantastic mother-in-law who lives with us);,

2. maintain my financial independence through prudent investing;

3. visit all places of great historic importance, after reading a lot about them, including fiction.

And even though Leo only asked for three, here are two more:

4. to continue to write philosophical essays and to gain both in philosophical depth and recognition;

and

5. to read widely, to play the American songbook on the piano, (at least 300 songs), and to draw in watercolor.

Now I also want to comment on the idea of goals and objectives. The reason mnost people don’t have specific goals is that most goials are simply not specific. The goal comes from an inner sense of who you are (happy, wealthy, philosophical) and it comes before the objectives (#1 million dollars, 5 published philosophy books).

The confusion between goals and their associated objectives is one of the biggest obstacles to getting anywhere in life. Goals typically form without ANY objectives, and then the objectives for to give the goals direction. Objectives without goals are meaningless. I have a friend who wants to paint 100 paintings. That’s a clear objective, all right, but the question is “Why”. Does she want to be a good and recognized painter or not? Goals come first.

To paraphrase Kant, Goals without Objectives are blind, and Objectives without Goals are empty.

Meri Says:

July 5th, 2008, 22:37 pm

1. worry less
2. live in a simple cottage with my husband and a couple of cats.
3. be financially stable.

quench Says:

July 5th, 2008, 22:47 pm

All my “goals” are on-going, never ending. (I suppose it’s a kind of goal of mine, or at least a guiding principle, not to be too ‘goal-driven’.) Maybe I should call them ‘life principles’ instead.
They are:

1. Do anything for love. (Romantic love. I’m in a huge love relationship now, for 12 years so far, and will be forever.)

2. Pay attention! Listen, learn, look. There’s always a lot going on. Be passionate about it.

3. Be courageous. For me, this means going through emotional difficulties without collapsing. And collapsing without giving up. And no matter how bad things get, or people are, always keep my moral principles strong and clear. Do what’s right.

Anyway, sometimes I fail, but these are my goals; they are most central to who I am.

Kate Says:

July 6th, 2008, 2:11 am

1. Be able to look upon my life with happiness and contentment.
2. Make the world a better place, by being a great parent to a child.
3. Find love.