This weekend we kick off a series titled
How and my topic is
How to Set Life Goals. I'll post
10 Keys to Setting Goals in a separate blog, but here is
my list of life goals as it stands on
01.01.08. One disclaimer: I'm still in the process of adding, subtracting, and upgrading this list.
I feel
a little vulnerable sharing these goals because they are
so personal. And I realize that some of them are
subject to interpretation. And some of them could be perceived as
selfish in nature. For example,
owning a vacation home. But the
motivation behind it is two-fold: 1) It is a way of
diversing our portfolio and
saving for retirement. 2) We have been blessed by people who have allowed us to stay at their homes when we couldn't afford a vacation. We want to return the favor.
We view the house as a ministry. It is a way we'll be able to bless others who cannot afford a vacation.
I guess what I'm getting at is this:
the motivation behind the goal is huge. If your motivation is wrong, then you'd be better off not accomplishing it.
I tried to set these goals in the
context of prayer. So I honestly see all of them as
spiritual goals. Even the
travel goals. Travel is one way to worship God. The more of creation I experience the more I appreciate the Creator!
Enough disclaimers.
My primary motivation in sharing this list is that I hope it inspires you to
come up with your own list of life goals.
Here is my list of
100 Life Goals:
Family Goals
1) Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary
2) Live to meet my Great Grandchildren
3) Celebrate an Anniversary in Italy
4) Celebrate an Anniversary in the Caribbean
5) Take each of our kids on a mission trip
6) Coach a team for each of our kids
7) Own a Vacation Home
8) Take Summer to a Broadway Play
9) Take Parker to a film festival
10) Climb a 14er with one of my kids
11) Run a 10K with one of my kids
12) Run a triathlon with one of my kids
13) Take a three-month sabbatical
14) Send each of our kids on an all-expenses paid honeymoon
15) Pay for our grandchildren's college education
16) Take my parents on a cruise
17) Take our grandchildren on a cruise
18) Go on a canoe trip with one of my kids
19) Drive a race car with one of my kids
20) Go skydiving with one of my kids
21) Go parasailing as a family
22) Go horseback riding as a family
23) Go skiing in Colorado as a family
24) Take our family on an RV vacation
25) Complete a one-year discipleship program with my sons
26) Take each of our kids on a rite of passage pilgrimage
27) Research our family genealogy
28) Design a Family Coat of Arms
29) Write an autobiography for my grandchildren
30) Take our grandchildren to Disney World
31) Go camping with our grandchildren
32) Take our grandchildren to a State Fair
33) Create a charitable family foundation
34) Celebrate a family reunion in Alexandria, Minnesota
Travel Goals
35) Climb to the Cliff Churches in Lailebela, Ethiopia
36) Go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem
37) Stay in the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite
38) Climb Half Dome
39) Take Lora to Catalina Island
40) See a dingo in the Australian Outback
41) Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
42) Climb the Red Center in the Australian Outback
43) Go on an African Safari
44) See the Aurora Borealis
45) Go kayaking in Alaska
46) Go surfing in South Africa
47) Retrace one of Paul's missionary journeys
48) Pilgrimage to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany
49) Take a Boat Cruise down the Rhine River
50) Ride a Gondola in Venice
51) Run with the Bulls in Spain
52) See the Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain
53) Hike the Haleakala Trail in Hawaii
54) Straddle the Equator
55) See the Blue Grotto in Italy
56) Visit the Parthenon in Athens, Greece
57) Kiss Lora on top of the Eiffel Tower
58) Play a round of golf at St. Andrews in Scotland
Experience Goals
59) Go to a Superbowl
60) Go to a Packers game at Lambeau Field
61) Ride a Mule into the Grand Canyon
62) Take a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon
63) Raft a Class V River
64) Go Cave Tubing in South America
65) Go Hang Gliding
66) Do a personal retreat at a monastery
67) Spend a night in a tree house hotel
68) Spend a night on a house boat
69) Go cliff jumping
70) Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
71) Learn to Snowboard
72) Learn to Surf
73) Do a Forty Day Fast
74) Do a stand-up comedy routine
75) Take Lora to the Oscars
76) Take a month-long vacation
Physical Goals
77) Run a Half Marathon
78) Run a Triathlon
79) Swim the Escape from Alcatraz
80) Bike a Century
81) Dunk a basketball at 40+
82) Bench Press 250 Pounds at 50+
83) Run a Triathlon at 60+
Influence Goals
84) Write 25 Books
85) Sell 10 million copies
86) Write a New York Times Bestseller
87) Earn a Doctoral Degree
88) Teach a College Class
89) Be Financially Independent by 55
90) Give away $3 million lifetime
91) Pastor one church for 35+ years
92) Make movie
93) Host a radio or TV program
94) Plant 100 churches
95) Create a Leadership Conference
96) Speak at a college commencement
97) Open a Chain of Coffeehouses
98) Take a mission trip to five different continents
99) Lead NCC to 10,000+ in attendance
100) Lead NCC to give $25,000,000 to missions
