"TIPs & QUIPs" Archive

Subject: Lifescope TIPs & QUIPs [08] 
"More than Goal Setting, Part 2: VALUES * PURPOSE * VISION * MISSION"

Just a reminder, that we're preparing a comparison of the various
goal-setting and goal-tracking software programs -- both freeware and
programs you pay for -- that can be used for personal and/or business.
If you would like this report emailed to you when we complete it, just 
send us email with the words "GOAL SOFTWARE REPORT" in the subject line.

TIPs & QUIPs, the free occasional email of helpful hints and quotes (and
sometimes challenging suggestions) for getting the most from life.

In this issue:
     *** WiseWords
     *** This Issue's Theme
     *** Suggested Resources
     *** Thrive On! Recommended Site


*** WiseWords ***
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Life is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle without the picture that came on the
 box. It's difficult to make sense of the pieces and how they fit together.
 There is a point at which we finally realize what the picture is and the job
 becomes easier and moves more quickly."
  --Robert J. Wright

"Where there is no vision a people perish."
  --Ralph Waldo Emerson

"We're on a mission... from God."
  --The Blues Brothers

"Only the consciousness of a purpose that is mightier than any man and worthy
 of all men can fortify and inspirit and compose the souls of men."
  --Walter Lippmann

"When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of
 action you should take -- choose the bolder."
  --W. J. Slim

(For a collection of some of our favorite WiseWords, see our web page at
<http://www.lifescope.com/pages/WiseWords.html>.)


*** This issue's theme:  MORE THAN GOAL SETTING (continued)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brief summary of last week's content:

   While 'goal setting' is a very valuable and pertinent skill to revisit this
   time of year, it is just one part in the process of getting what you want.
   Good goal setting does not take place in a vacuum. To be most effective (and
   most motivating), you must know how your objectives fit into the larger
   scheme of things.

   THE BROADER SCOPE
   Your goals don't just materialize out of thin air. Ideally, they are grown
   from (and are consistent with) your values, beliefs, desires, and your sense
   of purpose. If a GOAL is the specific 'What,' then PURPOSE is the 'Why' and
   VALUES are the 'How' -- your rules of conduct. A VISION comes into focus,
   providing a crystal-clear picture of the desired outcome. MISSION connects
   future and present, and moves one to create ways to realize the Vision. GOALS
   are the specific objectives, attainment of which make the Mission a success.

   We then discussed the specific elements of goal-setting, goal-tracking, and
   goal-attainment, represented by 'GOALS -> ACTIONS -> REVIEW -> REVISE.'


MORE THAN GOAL SETTING Part 2:  VALUES * PURPOSE * VISION * MISSION

So how does one decide which goals are the right goals?

These components have a linked flow, one to another, which looks like this:

VALUES -> PURPOSE -> VISION -> MISSION -> GOALS -> ACTIONS -> REVIEW -> REVISE

You might visualize a target, with 'Values' in the center as the bullseye,
and the rings representing subsequent steps. As in constructing a house, each
step builds on the step preceding it.

VALUES
'Values' leads the list, because your values are the common thread that runs
through all the steps and all of life. Again, values are the "how" of the
process. Your values decide how you react to things, events, and people --
what makes you content or angry, cry or laugh. Your values form the basis for
every decision you make, from the clothes you wear to the vocation you
choose. Every one of us is a living, breathing, values statement. What we
choose to surround ourselves with and how we treat others, constantly
broadcasts the message "This is what's important to me." Scary thought, huh?

Experiencing a significant life event helps you clarify your values. Getting
married or divorced, being fired, getting cancer, or having a loved one die
-- all bring what you value in the world to the forefront. We adopted most of
our values unconsciously, from our parents, friends, school, and bizarrely
enough, from advertising media like television and magazines. But by the
miracle of the constantly learning mind, we continue to adapt our values
based on the experiences we have.

Values also determine what we become. A person who highly values harmony is
not likely to be a trial lawyer. A person committed to healthy living could
never morally allow herself to work for a cigarette manufacturer, unless a
higher value (like not starving) interceded.

And your values are the key influencers in how you perceive your purpose.

PURPOSE
Depending on your religious/spiritual viewpoint, you may believe that: 
a) your purpose was set in place before you were born, or b) that it is yours to
choose. It makes no difference really, as long as you believe that you do
have a purpose (even if you don't currently know what it is). And if you
really believed that life was just a crap shoot, then you wouldn't be reading
this anyway.

Purpose is what gives everything else meaning. It is the "why" in your life.
"Why am I working xx hours a week?" Hint: "To pay the bills" is not the
answer we're looking for.) Purpose alludes to a 'higher calling' or ultimate
end, and it transcends the individual. Have a reason for living that is
bigger than you. For most, it's about making a difference and leaving the
world a better place. Which is what allows our species to propagate -- we
junk up the world, we won't last.

Keep in mind that in 150 years there will be 'all new people.' Everyone now
alive will have passed on. So consider that purpose is transferred through
generations and conveys the distilled essence of the collective -- and in a
way, is what makes us immortal.

But back to the individual -- to you. Your purpose has an ongoing and
life-long theme. Examples are: 'grow love', 'ease misery', 'inspire
greatness', 'care for the earth'. Just wanna have fun' doesn't cut it,
although 'celebrate life' has a nice ring to it... I guess it's just
semantics after all.) Your purpose taps into passions, inspiration, and
commitment on a grand scale. Being able to know and communicate your purpose,
to yourself and others, is what sustains it. And the first step to that, is...

VISION
Vision is a picture of what can be realized, true to and because of your
purpose. A vision is something which can be seen clearly -- and can be
described in great detail. It is the guiding star, or template against which
you compare ideal to real -- what can be to what is. You can and should be
visionary in each significant area of your life -- in each of the Eight Vital
Zones(R) (see <http://www.lifescope.com/pages/8VZparagraphs.html>).

Vision is where the spark resides. It is an image so compelling, so
desirable, that it draws energy and motivation to it. It is Pinnochio as a
little boy. It is men strolling on the moon. It is that oasis in the desert.
It is once sickly children, now free of leukemia instead of dead.

Vision is a crystal ball's view into the future, be it one, five, fifty, or
two-hundred years from now. Vision is how you infect others with your
enthusiasm for what you know is possible. You have visited your Utopia, and
sent them a postcard saying "Wish you were here."

So the time has come to plot the course.

MISSION
"I'm on a mission!" 
Missions are the big, bold, challenging objectives leading to the realization
of your vision. They are the targeted campaigns which 'get the juices flowing'
in yourself and others. A mission focuses attention and resources upon a
specific desired outcome within a given time frame. 

A mission is also known as a 'big hairy audacious goal' with a sense of urgency. 
Unlike goals, though, you should have only one mission active at a time, per 
vision for each distinct area of your life. And even then, they're prioritized.

Prime examples of mission are:
"...before the decade is out, to land a man on the moon and return him safely."
"...to wipe out lung cancer in our lifetime."
"...to have the winningest record this season of any team in the league."
"...by three years from now, author a book which makes it onto the NY Times
    Bestseller list."

To chart your mission, determine what accomplishments would lead you to your
vision. What big steps can you take today which will move you closer to your
ideal tomorrow? Break them into goals and then turn your goals into action.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it... 
   ...is to start putting this process into practice!


*** Suggested Resources ***
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fulfill Your Soul's Purpose
Imagine yourself eager to wake up every morning-refreshed and invigorated,
ready to fulfill your unique mission on this planet. Sound impossible?
Unlikely? It's not! Naomi Stephan will show you precisely how to seek,
identify, and express your life's mission. Once you do, your life will take
shape as you align your career and solidify your relationships. You'll make
choices that are "in sync" with your true self, and follow a clear path paved
with your greatest desires and highest aspirations.
      (softcover book, 279pp) Item# G2297-BK
         SRP$13.95  (see link for special price)
        Buy this item online now at Lifescope.com or Amazon.com.


In Search of Values
Do you know what really matters most to you? In this book, Dr. Sidney Simon
provides 31 playful yet practical exercises which are designed to help you
understand your personal value system. Developed over many years and proven
with literally tens of thousands of people, Dr. Simon's process will show you
that what you do is what you are... and how you act reflects what you value.
Forewarned is forearmed: the answers are always a surprise!
      (softcover book, 103pp) Item# E2118-BK
         SRP$8.99  (see link for special price)
      [sorry, out of print]

Life By Design
Dr. Rick Brinkman says that "your life is the sum total of what you choose in
every moment." It follows, then, that you can take charge of your well-being
by consciously making the choices that promote optimum results. Dr. Brinkman
shows how to break negative habits, trigger positive emotions when you're
feeling down, and expect great things from yourself. The result is a
healthier lifestyle and more fulfilling relationships. And it all happens by
choice, not by chance.
      (4 audiotapes, 4 hrs) Item# H6289-AU
         SRP$59.95  (see link for special price)
        Buy this item online now at Lifescope.com.


Goals: How to Set & Achieve Them
If you have dreams, you need goals. On this audio, master motivator and
storyteller Zig Ziglar presents a dynamic seven-step formula for clearly
defining and fulfilling your goals. Using humorous and inspiring anecdotes
from sports, business, and science, he demonstrates how to develop a set of
written goals, understand your motives, identify the resources you need, and
develop a concrete plan of action to achieve them on schedule.
      (2 audiotapes, 2 hrs) Item# H3140-AT
         SRP$16.00  (see link for special price)
        Buy this item online now at Lifescope.com or Amazon.com.


The On-Purpose Person
Life is nothing without purpose. But all too often we mistake activity for
meaning; we scramble with schedules; our days are filled yet unfulfilled.
Now, in this agreeable parable by Kevin McCarthy, the main character leads
you down the path to becoming an On-Purpose Person. This story is so engaging
that you won't want to put the book down. More than a goal-setting guide
(goals are consumable, purpose is permanent), you'll find yourself
translating this book's principles into action immediately - discovering your
life's true priorities and learning to live on-purpose in the process.
      (hardcover book, 144pp) Item# G2100-BH
         SRP$16.00  (see link for special price)
         Buy this item online now at Lifescope.com or Amazon.com.
 


*** Thrive On! Recommended Site ***
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Life-Design Workbook <http://www.work-family.com/life/choices/life.html>
By Peggy Vaughan and James Vaughan, PhD
James & Peggy Vaughan are a husband-wife team providing resources on
life-design, parenting, and relationships. Actually, this link is just a
page from their site for one of their products, but it is especially
relevant to this issue's topic, and this item is not currently available
from Lifescope. Life-Design is about choice, clarity of purpose, and balance.
It's based on the premise that each person creates their life experience
through the choices they make every day and are therefore responsible for the
satisfaction or lack of it that they're getting out of life. Life-Design is
an integrated set of activities and strategies to help people:
         -Take stock of current life circumstances
         -Clarify what's really important
         -Decide what to do
         -Plan how to do it 
You can order the workbook for $20, or get an email version of it for $10.


Footnote:
Another way of looking at this whole process, is our philosophical shorthand
to just about everything: "DISCOVER IT - DESIGN IT - DO IT." 

This full process, from values clarification to goal attainment, neatly maps as:

DISCOVER IT:  VALUES, PURPOSE, VISION,
  DESIGN IT:  MISSION, GOALS,
      DO IT:  ACTIONS, REVIEW, REVISE

(For more on DDD, see <http://www.lifescope.com/pages/how2s/How2WinLife.html>.)


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The contents herein are solely the opinions of Lifescope editors, and should 
not be considered as a form of therapy nor advice. There is no guarantee of 
validity or accuracy. Lifescope therefore assumes no responsibility for injury
and specifically disclaims any warranty, express or implied, of fitness or 
merchantability for a particular purpose. Besides, actual mileage may vary.

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