Goals- Or, crap I'd like to do.

So about a year ago at work we were forced to set up our "goals" for the year. It seemed like an impossible task to me. Goals? Unless it's used in the context of a hockey or soccer game the word "goal" makes me shudder just a bit. Nevertheless, goals can be an important tool to accomplish things in our life. Plus, I really love making lists so a goal list should be right up my alley. The problem with the list is that when I sit down to write it, my mind goes blank. So I came up with an alternate system.

I have tweaked the standard goal list just a bit and have instead created a visual representation of "Crap I'd like to Accomplish." I have a cork board set up above my desk and I've pinned various items to it: a list of all my student loan debts, a list of things I'm thankful for, information on the dream trip that I am planning, and pictures of my family, among other things. This board serves a lot of purposes- most importantly it is a constant reminder of all the great things in my life. But it is also a reminder of things I'd love to accomplish, like paying off my student loans.

So, anytime I am online randomly placing items in my Amazon shopping cart I can't help but look at the board and ask myself, do I really need more crap or would I rather put this money toward something on my board? The answer is almost always, no I don't need this crap. It's a great check on myself and my priorities.

What about you? Do you make a goal lists? What do you think of my "Crap I'd Like to Accomplish" board?