Here’s the truth that’s bombarded me lately: I suck at long-term goals.
I’m really good at setting goals three months at a time. I set new goals each year from January-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December. That’s manageable for me, and I like charting progress over time, but only a short period of time.
Long-term goals, on the other hand, are my nemesis. I start out really well and full of energy, and then, somewhere in the middle, I lose sight of my purpose, get discouraged, and want to bail out. I’ve always known this about myself, but somehow I’m still surprised amidst long-term goal situations when I start muddling through. I have a bracelet that says, “Finish Strong,” and that became my motto one summer during college. I know I need to finish strong, I tell myself to finish strong, and yet, the act of finishing strong isn’t exactly made easier by either of those.