By Cordell and Janice Vail

31 Aug 2003

A weekly email gospel message for the descendents of Ammon and Winona Vail

Setting Goals

In 1953 they did a study of the graduating class at Yale University. As a part of the study the took a survey and asked them if they kept goals. Only 3% of the graduating class had written down goals.

In 1973 they looked up the surviving members of the 1953 graduation class from Yale. Of those still living the 3% that had written down goals were worth more money that all the rest of the class put together.

I don't think that just applies to money. I think it applies to every part of our life, especially emotionally and spiritually. When we set a goal and write it down, we almost always accomplish it. It brings us a feeling of joy and self worth to have accomplished a goal.

If we don't set goals and don't write them down we almost accomplish them too. That results in a feeling of frustration of discouragement.

If you have been feeling like your life is not going anywhere lately, maybe this would be worth trying. If you feel like you are just spinning your wheels emotionally, spiritually or not making progress towards a meaningful life, try setting some goals. Write them down. Simple ones. Ones that would you help you be what you want to be if you accomplished them.

Jim Rhon said something that I love. He said, "Set goals that will make you stretch, not for what you will get when you reach it, but for what it will make of you to achieve them.

Uncle Cordell