Every four years, my training and motivation get an extra boost. The Summer Olympics make me want to vault, jump, throw and aim for the stars. I even like the commercials about the athletes that show them working toward their goals. Seeing other people push themselves makes me want to prove myself and reminds me that other people are achieving their goals, so why not me too?
In one of the commercials airing now, we hear athletes talking about what they’ve had to do and what they’ve given up: I haven’t had dessert in two years, I haven’t read the latest bestseller, etc.
A lot of us set goals for ourselves. Think of the countless New Year’s Resolutions made every year. But ACHIEVING them is a whole other ball of yarn. Reaching goals often requires following a long, tangled road, and sometimes we quit before we get there.
Do you set goals? Does your reach exceed your grasp?
And if you do set goals, what are you willing to do to get there? What are you willing to give up to get there?
Ready? Set? Gooooooooo!
aim4wisdom 
In the past, I had sports related goals. My biggest passion, at one point, was bike racing. I used to ride 400-500 miles a week training to race. What a great time. Then work took over. Also, there were bills to pay, rent, and all of that mature stuff.
Now my goals are different, though no less strenuous. Short term, I have decided to finally get my BS in Geology. It is something that I’ve always wanted to do. It’s going to take me a little while, as I still have all of the mature stuff I mentioned earlier to worry about. I figure two classes at a time is a good pace until I hit the lottery.
From there, I am going to get my Masters in Geophysics, then it’s on to my PhD, also in Geophysics. I already have my research project started. It has to do with what goes on deep in the Earth, in case you were wondering.
I don’t have a time limit on my goals because I know that things pop up. The important thing is that I reach my goals, less important is when I reach them.
That sounds sensible, wonderful, and exciting all at once! Can’t wait till your Geophysics research is published and turning the world on its head!