Prioritize what you want in major categories of your life. This includes relationships, parenting, education, spirituality, mindset, personal-growth, health, work, finances, and giving back to society and the world. List a minimum of five things you desire to achieve in each category during the upcoming one to five years. Following is an example of my desires. Make your goals relative to meeting your unique desires, needs, expectations, and standards set for yourself. Remember, this is about what you can do, not someone else, and not trying to change anyone, except you. Relationships can be many….
| Relations | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Spouse | Say I love you upon awakening and departure, or more. | Perpetually date her as though we are first meeting. | Hug her daily and kiss her each night before bed, or more often. | Be fully present and engaged while listening. | Authentically care about and encourage her dreams. |
| Child | Say I love you and hug him two times daily, or more. | Read to him for 20 minutes daily, or more. | Together, play a game he enjoys twice weekly, or more. | Go someplace new once monthly, or more. | Ask and support what he is passionate about consistently. |
| Friend | Genuinely listen, love, and laugh. | Ask if he is upholding his moral codes? | Tell him I appreciate him. | Go on an adventure together. | Ask, “How can I help?” |
| Parenting | Teach the difference between right and wrong. | Show consistent unconditional love and acceptance. | Maintain boundaries backed with high standards or expectations, values, and principles. | Know his friends. | Tell him that he can come to me about anything at any time. Maintain trust and open communication. |
| Education | Write and publish a book to help people make positive life-producing choices. | Learn two new words, daily. | Step outside my comfort zone daily. | Read daily for at least 30 minutes. | Teach others what you learn through writing, speaking, and blogging. |
| Spiritual | Pray with a thankful heart throughout the day. | Live joyfully by being peaceful and grateful. | Engage with like-minded people offering hope and encouragement. | Read the Bible, devotionals or inspirational books daily. | Go off in nature for 20 plus minutes while meditating on its’ beauty at least twice weekly. |
| Mindset | Write for at least 10 minutes each day in a gratitude journal. | Self-reflect upon what is learned and done daily. | Listen to positive and inspiring podcasts, books or videos daily. | Read about uplifting stories of triumph daily. | Desire an abundance of health, wealth, love, and joy in the lives of everyone that comes my way. |
| Personal-growth | Be vulnerable by sharing life victories to help others. | Do what makes you uncomfortable, daily. | Read and write for 20 minutes or more, daily. | Read your goals and look at your vision boards three times daily. | Persevere by never, never, never, never, giving in or giving up on your passionate dreams. |
| Health | Exercise five times weekly, or more. | Eat mostly foods that are natural without synthetic fillers. | Be mindful of your thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and principles. | Ceaselessly, love and totally accept yourself, daily. | Know your triggers and maintain the rituals that minimize stressors and tempters, while maximizing the best version of yourself. |
| Work | Show empathy. | Help frequently. | Enhance my current skill-sets and knowledge. | Add more value by learning new skills. | Mentor and role model for others. |
| Finances | Pay yourself at least 10% first, no matter what. | Do not borrow money, except for your mortgage and education. | Focus on income as being the outcome. | Patiently be in it for the long term, while building assets and minimizing liabilities. | Think of ways to add more value to many. |
| Giving | Give free seminars and speaking events about enhancing quality of life. | Share my time generously with my family and friends. | Share monetary resources with causes I believe in. | Teach about health techniques to prevent pain and suffering, while maximizing energy and joy. | Give or create in yourself the tools necessary to offer more to your family and the world. |
“Strong reasons make strong actions” (William Shakespeare). Next, make a list of as many reasons why you want to accomplish those aims. The more whys in each category can make something on your list that was once number one priority, change to number three or four, while number two or five moves into the first place slot. Whichever target in each category has the most reasons why it is important and purpose-driven for you to achieve that objective, make it your number one priority and develop a single-minded focus on accomplishing those specific goals first. You can still do the others, just put more conscious effort into your primary focus.
This Side of ABLE 