“Establishing goals is all right if you don’t let them deprive you of interesting detours.” ~Doug Larson
Once upon a time I had exactly two long-term goals. Remember that when you’re 21 going on 22 ‘long term’ is fairly relative and 35 is like practically dead. The two goals were: 1) Make an appearance in the Washington Post Express 2) Make at least $35,000 a year. It took me roughly six months to achieve both of those goals because I like to really reach for the stars when making plans for my life.
25 isn’t the be all, end all of a person’s life for clearly much more will occur but it holds some significance – arbitrary by society’s standards and self imposed by my own – regardless I want it to be a good year. I’m not requesting perfection in the slightest. I’m far too cynical, pragmatic and neurotic (and being a lush kind of hinders too much progress on any given day) to proudly declare that 25 will be The Best Year Ever. I’m just hoping for something a little better than the one before. I think that’s what we hope for in the long run; not for the ultimate to happen but for a little bit more each year. A little bit more happiness, laughter, fun and writing. It’s trite and cliche but we’re all trite and cliche and hoping for the best. We smile and pump our fists when we hit our respective goals even if to the outside world they seem to be nothing. The lowest of the low maybe. But on the inside we’re smiling and high-fiving with our personal cheering sections; because, yeah, I did it and I’m totally fucking proud.
I have goals for 25 and (for once) I’m not afraid to meet them.
8 Comments
YES YOU CAN! Never underestimate the power of articulating your dreams.
xo
I had aspirations for 26. I didn’t meet them, but then again, they were formed by devotion to Kate & Allie as a child of divorce and hoping to have three sons, a divorce and a job that let me wear stillettos and jeans by 26.
Whatever, sitting her 35 with three daughters, a husband and a penchant for jeans and tennis shoes feels pretty fucking great.
Let’s raise a glass to goals, those we achieve and those we amend.
Since you recently confessed via email to not knowing the incredibly interesting intricacies of my life, I feel comfortable asking, when is your birthday again?
25 is a GREAT year! Best year yet for me! You know what would make it even better? YOU MOVING TO SAN FRAN! San Fran is for 25 year olds, dontcha know??
Funny you speak of goals at 25. I will be 25 next month and have been contemplating life, goals, the next 25 years…you know. Cheers to 25!
I’m planning to claw a better year out of the calendar too. Great minds, etc.
Not cliche or trite. “We smile and pump our fists when we hit our respective goals even if to the outside world they seem to be nothing.” Well said and also: Happy Birthday?!!
Happy B-Day, HB. Here’s to one helluva year.