Something that has been on my mind lately is the need to set goals. I have tried to set goals in the past, and some have been easy while other have been very lofty (I didn't really take into account the time or effort required). Needless to say, I never attained those lofty goals.
In this last General Conference Elder Carlos A. Godoy was speaking of how his life had been going very well, when he had a friend come for a visit. That talk has stuck with me, and has been the driving influence behind this post. He said,
“At the conclusion of his visit, he made a comment and asked a question that unsettled my convictions. He said, ‘Carlos, everything seems to be going well for you, your family, your career, and your service in the Church, but—‘ and then came the question, ‘if you continue to live as you are living, will the blessings promised in your patriarchal blessing be fulfilled?’
“I had never thought about my patriarchal blessing in this way. I read it from time to time but never with the intent of looking toward the blessings promised in the future and evaluating how I was living in the present” (link to talk).
As I’ve been studying the topic of goal-setting I am learning that setting goals, in general, is a good idea--I can't find any information to the contrary. It seems that the pursuit of goals helps unleash a power from within that propels us to become who we know inside that we can become. I think that it is through the process of setting and achieving our goals that helps to refine us and find fulfillment in our lives.
Included among the many benefits of setting (and achieving) goals, is joy. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said,
“[One] source of happiness and mortal joy is the accomplishment of worthy goals, simple things like physical exercise or more complex goals like the completion of an arduous task.
“Other goals have eternal significance. Their completion produces joy in this life and the promise of eternal joy in the world to come” (link to talk).
It seems that the cure for gloom or despair can be overcome through accomplishing goals, as President Ezra Taft Benson taught.
“Every accountable child of God needs to set goals, short- and long-range goals. A man who is pressing forward to accomplish worthy goals can soon put despondency under his feet, and once a goal is accomplished, others can be set up” (link to talk).
The Lord, Himself, spoke of goals a long time ago when He spoke to Moses. He showed Moses His many creations, but then said that His crowning work was to help us, His children, become like Him.
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:37-39).
Before the marvelous physical creation of man on earth our Father in Heaven created everything spiritually (see Moses 3:5). He had His end goal in sight, thought it through, planned it all out, and after much preparation and deliberation executed His plan perfectly.
The Lord has a goal—a purpose—for everything He does. His desire is to help us, in every way possible, to become like Him. He has given us guidelines and direction through the voice of His servants: those from the past whose word we find in scripture, and those from the present whose words we can hear. We have been commanded to pray to our Father and to “counsel with the Lord in all [our] doings” (Alma 37:37). He knows how to get us where we need to be, and we can come to know that path for ourselves by conversing with Him in humble prayer.
The purpose or our creation is to return to live with our Heavenly Father in eternal splendor and glory. This is a life-long goal, and have all other goals would be but steps to reach it.
“The celestial kingdom is the highest of the three kingdoms of glory. Those in this kingdom will dwell forever in the presence of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. This should be your goal: to inherit celestial glory and to help others receive that great blessing as well. Such a goal is not achieved in one attempt; it is the result of a lifetime of righteousness and constancy of purpose” (link to topic, emphasis added).
As we examine our own life we should take into account our shortcomings and weaknesses and set goals to improve them. If we approach the Lord, in humility, He will help us make our “weak things become strong” (Ether 12:27). If we try to do everything on our own we will struggle more than we would with His help. We will also not receive the blessings and help the Lord has prepared to bestow on us that come from giving heed to His counsel. Tad R. Callister wrote,
“The power to convert a weakness to a strength is possible through the grace of Christ, but the Lord has imposed two prerequisites, humility and faith. If these requirements are satisfied, the grace of Christ becomes like a bookstore rocket that powers and lifts us above our weaknesses” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p228).
A key ingredient in setting goals is our gift of agency—the ability to act for ourselves. We are here on earth to “work out [our] own salvation…before God” (Alma 34:37); something to keep in mind when setting goals. Elder Marvin J. Ashton taught,
“In setting our own goals we need to examine our own needs and abilities. The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment. Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way….
“When our progress seems to be at a standstill, it is well for us to ask who is at fault. Is it I? Am I sufficiently committed to righteous goals? Do I have the courage, fortitude, and wisdom to apply self-examination[?]…
“Realize that God will judge you by the way you make use of all your possibilities.” (link to talk).
As we counsel with the Lord, we will be directed to be obedient to His already established plan. When we use our agency to be obedient to His plan, we can become truly free. I love Tad R. Callister’s explanation of true freedom—attained in full measure only by gods themselves; a state we may obtain through faithful obedience to the end.
“The lives of gods are driven internally, rather than externally. Their freedom springs from their power to act according to their will without restraint from an outside source. There is no external force that controls their destiny, no spiritual or physical limitation that restricts their desired expression….Gods act, rather than being acted upon…Gods do not live oblivious of laws, but through obedience have mastered the laws so that they might use them to accomplish their purposes.
“Freedom is achieved through a step-by-step process of obedient compliance to God’s will” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p251).
By setting goals to be obedient to God’s laws, or commandments, and to the covenants we make with Him we can grow to be more and more like Him. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ our nature can be changed, and it is also through obedience that we will find the peace and joy that we seek. Joseph Smith taught,
“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God” (History of the Church, 5:134–35).
As we focus on our eternal goals the temporal storms and winds of life may not seem quite as terrifying or overwhelming. It is when we take our eyes off of those eternal goals that the waves rage, as when Peter walked on water.
The disciples were in their ship and were “in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary” (Matthew 14:24). Jesus came walking toward them on the water,
“And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:26-31).
Peter had Jesus as his focus and walked on water. It was when Peter took his eyes off of the Savior and saw the wind boisterous that the fear set in, and he began to sink. A lesson to us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on our Lord, Jesus Christ.
When it comes to setting goals we can ask Him for guidance and direction. We can also look at the priorities He has already given to us through the scriptures, words of the prophets, and in our individual patriarchal blessings, as quoted by Elder Godoy earlier.
Goal-setting isn’t meant to be overwhelming, tedious, or painful, but it should stretch us a little. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin offered some humorous advice about setting attainable goals; which will continue to change throughout our lives, as we continue to change.
“In my younger days, I loved to run. Although it may be hard for you to believe it, I did. And I did win a few races. I’m not so fast anymore. In fact, I’m not sure how well I would do in a race if the only contestants were the members of the Quorum of the Twelve.
“My ability to run is not so swift now. While I am looking forward to that future time when, with a resurrected body, I can once again sprint over a field and feel the wind blowing through my hair, I do not dwell on the fact that I cannot do it now.
“That would be unwise. Instead, I take the steps that I can take. Even with the limitations of age, I can still take one step at a time. To do what I can is all my Heavenly Father now requires of me. And it is all He requires of you, regardless of your disabilities, limitations, or insecurities….
“The only thing you need to worry about is striving to be the best you can be. And how do you do that? You keep your eye on the goals that matter most in life, and you move towards them step by step” (link to talk).
When I started researching “worthy goals” I found a number of links to talks, quotes, articles, and more. It seems to be a common understanding that setting worthy goals will help give us direction in life. I found several quotes where setting goals was likened to the rudder on a ship. A rudder, per wikipedia, “is a primary control surface used to steer” (link to reference). President Thomas S. Monson told a story about the ship, Bismarck, and the amazing power that comes from having a rudder (or loss, with the lack thereof).
“On February 14, 1939, Americans were celebrating Valentine’s Day. Postmen delivered sealed envelopes, and small children placed at the doorsteps of special friends folded papers containing brightly colored pictures. Each contained a greeting—a message of love. After all, Valentine’s Day is a day of love.
“Far from America’s shores, in Hamburg, Germany, a public holiday also was being celebrated. However, a more somber mood prevailed. Amid fervent speeches, cheering throngs, and the playing of the national anthem, the new battleship Bismarck rumbled down into the River Elbe. This, the most powerful vessel afloat, carried not a message of love; rather, the Bismarck bristled with weapons of war.
“The mighty colossus was a breathtaking spectacle of armor and machinery. Construction required more than fifty-seven thousand blueprints for the 406-millimeter, triple turret, radar-controlled guns. The vessel featured twenty-eight thousand miles of electrical circuits, and thirty-five thousand tons of armor-plate provided maximum safety. Majestic in appearance, gigantic in size, awesome in firepower, the Bismarck was considered unsinkable.
“The Bismarck’s day of destiny dawned more than two years later, when on May 24, 1941, the two most powerful warships in the British navy, the Prince of Wales and the Hood, engaged in battle the Bismarck and the German cruiser Prinz Eugen. Within four minutes, the Bismarck had sent to the depths of the Atlantic the Hood and all but 3 men of a crew of 1,419. The other British battleship, the Prince of Wales, had suffered heavy damage and turned away.
“Three days later, the Bismarck was engaged again, by four British warships. In all, the British concentrated the strength of eight battleships, two aircraft carriers, eleven cruisers, and twenty-one destroyers in an effort to seek and sink the mighty Bismarck.
“Shell after shell inflicted but superficial damage. Was the Bismarck unsinkable after all? Then a torpedo scored a lucky hit which jammed the Bismarck’s rudder. Repair efforts proved fruitless. With guns primed, the crews at ready, the Bismarck could only steer a slow and stately circle. Just beyond reach was the powerful German air force. The safety of home port was ever so close. Neither could provide the needed haven, for the Bismarck had lost the ability to steer a charted course. No rudder; no help; no port. The end drew near. British guns blazed as the German crew scuttled and sank the once proud vessel. The hungry waves of the Atlantic first lapped at the sides, then swallowed the pride of the German navy. The Bismarck was no more.
“Like the Bismarck, each of us is a miracle of engineering. Our creation, however, was not limited by human genius. Man can devise the most complex machines, but he cannot give them life or bestow upon them the powers of reason and judgment. Why? Because these are divine gifts, bestowed solely at God’s discretion. Our creator has provided us with a circulatory system to keep all channels constantly clean and serviceable, a digestive system to preserve strength and vigor, and a nervous system to keep all parts in constant communication and coordination. God gave man life, and with it, the power to think, to reason, to decide, and to love.
Like the vital rudder of a ship, we have been provided a way to determine the direction we travel. The lighthouse of the Lord beckons to all as we sail the seas of life. Our home port is the celestial kingdom of God. Our purpose is to steer an undeviating course in that direction. A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—never likely to reach home port. To us comes the signal: Chart your course, set your sail, position your rudder, and proceed” (link to talk).
May we strive to set worthwhile, attainable, goals that stretch and improve us. May we also do all within our power to keep our eternal goals in sight so that the leaving of this life will prove to be a joyous experience as we move onward and upward to the eternal spheres that await us.
