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GOALS
I chose goal setting for my topic
because I, personally, have never felt like I set goals for myself.
I have found myself drawing a blank when asked to share my “goals.”
I truthfully do not know what my “goals” are. In reflecting back, I
have set goals for myself throughout my life, but I have never
labeled them “goals.” For instance, ever since I was young I can
remember I always knew I would be married and have children. This
would have been considered a long-term goal. It was just something I
“knew” would happen. (For those of you who don’t know, yes, it did
happen. I have been married for 32 years and we have two grown
daughters and three healthy lively grandchildren.)
In high school, I
decided I would be a legal secretary (or as a back up, an
accountant). Once again, I did not even think of this as a goal, I
just knew that this was what I would do. I went to a one-year tech
school in Oregon; my major was Legal Secretary, my minor,
Accounting. My first real job was in accounting. I did that for
three years, and then on to my real love, Legal Secretary.
What I realize now is
that even though we label it different things, we all have goals or
expectations. If we set unrealistic goals, we cannot reach them, or
it is hard to achieve them, so we give up. It is important to
evaluate where we are, and continue to set attainable goals. When we
do this, we set ourselves on a course to achieve what we might have
once believed to be impossible.
For instance, never in
my wildest dreams did I ever think I would, or could, be
President-Elect or President of a state association. I don’t know
that this ever was a goal, but I’ve always desired to be the best I
could be, and do the best I could do, in everything I did. When I
joined NALS, that desire continued.
Through NALS, and the
friends and acquaintances I have made through NALS, I now have a
wonderful job in a very good law firm, I have successfully attained
my PLS and PP certifications, and I am currently President-Elect of
our state association. Fifteen years ago, I never believed I could,
or would, do any of these.
You may be like me and
not consider yourself a goal setter. Even though we may not set
specific “goals,” we have ideas and thoughts about the way we would
like our lives. Let’s always remember to follow those desires, and
simply do the very best we can at all times. How can we ever fail
when we use our positive attitudes, and always be the best we can
be.
I would appreciate
hearing from you. What have your “goals” throughout your life been,
and how have you reached them or changed them to suit your life.
Please drop me a card or email me and let me know your story. You
can email me at
lmtjaden@stoel.com or send me a card at 127 S. Summit,
Bremerton, WA 98312. I look forward to hearing from you, a member of
NALS of Washington. |
