Accomplishing Goals

I have read several lengthy articles lately on how to accomplish your goals. Some of the information may be useful in the right hands, but I think I can do better in just three, easy steps.

A) Set the bar low. I mean, really low. Something like

1. Get out of bed
2. Wear clothes.

Once you have accomplished these two things, you can take pride in anything else you get done, knowing you have gone above and beyond what you set out to do.

B) Never tell anyone else your goals, no matter how low they are. Even if it's something as simple as brushing your hair. Because I guarantee, even if you do all the dishes, laundry, cleaning, have dinner on the table and brownies in the oven, someone (usually a well meaning spousal type) will look at you and say, "I thought you were going to brush your hair today." You will not only have let yourself down, you will have let them down. That kind of guilt is not productive to anyone.

C.) Never, EVER, have all the dishes, laundry, and cleaning done, and have dinner on the table and brownies in the oven all in one day. Even if you are particularly motivated and/or energetic on that day, and think you will feel like "you've really gotten something accomplished," all you have done is proven that all those things CAN be done in one day, and it will be expected again. Those are not standards anyone wants to live by. Seriously. Pace yourself. In the end, everyone will be happier because of it.

You're welcome.

(Here's a completely unrelated picture of my cat being weird, just because.)