I overheard a conversation not long ago. When describing their boss, the worker  commented “they are a goal changer.” It struck a chord with me. I have worked with and for “goal changers.”  And, I may have been one more than once in my life.

Goal changers are always “upping” the goal. They add new requirements; change the entire task; create new rules. Working for someone like that means you will never finish a project. A friend, noted that a supervisor was retiring and asked, “did we get it right yet?”

Goal changers are usually not involved in the work; they like to sit back and determine if the work was done correctly or on-time or met their every shifting set of parameters.

But, are we goal changers when it comes to “gathering together”? Do we share one set of expectations and then change them? For instance, “we just want a pleasant family dinner” becomes “we just want a pleasant family dinner where everyone agrees on everything.” Or, “let’s set a limit for gift giving” becomes “I hope you like the gift; I decided to go over the limit we set.”

How about when we become goal changers to ourselves? For instance, planning to do 10 things turns into a decision to do 20 more tasks.

We can sabotage our “gathering together” by changing the goals. Let’s watch ourselves this year, establish some goals, and then stop when we get there. Stay the course.  Keep on track.  Stop adding more to the to do list!!  Enjoy these days, January will come soon enough!

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)