Ideas for the New Year

It is often the New Year when we re-evaluate where we are and what we want to tackle in the months ahead. It is with this in mind that we offer the following excerpts from an article in the December issue of Ultra Running magazine from Editor Tia Bodington.

"On a casual basis, one might think that the words "hope", "dream" and "goal" signify pretty much the same thing: something you want." She goes on to say that she looked in her dictionary to see the differences in the words and found this.

"Hope - a feeling that what is wanted can be had.

Dream - an aspiration, a wild or vain fancy.

Goal - an achievement toward which effort is directed, purpose or intent"

To paraphrase Bodington, "hope is a passive emotion" while "dream is a bit more concrete...something you might muse about and wonder how you might turn it into reality if you were to take action."

We liked her choice of words here (remember she is an editor!)..."A goal, though - now, goals are different. A goal is something you decide is important enough to mold your life around. Something you sit down at your desk with pencil and paper...When you have a goal, you actually follow that plan." These are powerful distinctions to be sure.

We think of how important hopes and dreams are. They shape the direction in which we lean. Yet without goals we are not able to really harness all the resources life has to offer.

W.H. Murray wrote a brilliant paragraph on this subject.

Until one is committed there is hesitance, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that moment when one definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt could have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has a genius, power and magic in it".

Pretty powerful stuff here we admit; the same point from two different sources. The goal is something you make a plan for and then on which you take action. 2009 is a fine time to put those hopes and dreams into action. We will join you as well. Let us know how it goes for you!