SMART Goals

SMART Goals

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as, "I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living," and that is it. They are all wishes and none of them are clear goals.

Goals must be SMART:

1. S--specific. For example, "I want to lose weight." This is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when I pin myself down to "I will lose 10 pounds in 90 days."

2. M--must be measurable. If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring our progress.

3. A--must be achievable. Achievable means that it should be out of reach enough to be challenging but it should not be out of sight, otherwise it becomes disheartening.

4. R--realistic. A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic.

5. T--time-bound. There should be a starting date and a finishing date.

Please comment your opinion on this and add something yours...

                  so touching : MOTHERS LOVE 

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said: 

For cutting the grass: $5.00 
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00 
For going to the store for you: $.50 
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25 
Taking out the garbage: $1.00 
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00 
Total owed: $14.75 
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge 

For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you:
No Charge 

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years:
No Charge 
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge 

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose:
No Charge 

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is:
No Charge. 

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL". 
 

Lessons:

• You will never how much your parents worth till you become a parent
• Be a giver not an asker, especially with your parents. there is a lot to give, besides money.

Advice: IF your mom is alive and close  to you, give her a big kiss and ask her for forgiveness. If she is far away, call her. if she passed away, pray for her.

My mom only had one eye 

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, ‘EEEE, your mom only has one eye!’

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, ‘ If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?’

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, ‘How dare you come to my house and scare my children!’ GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!’

And to this, my mother quietly answered, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,’ and she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

‘My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,

Your mother.’

LIVE and WORK

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough, it would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Father’s hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT?

I’ve learned-that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned-that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned-that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned-that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I’ve learned-that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned-that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

I’ve learned-that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned-that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned-that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned-that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned-that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned-that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I’ve learned-that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I’ve learned-that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I’ve learned-that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I’ve learned-that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I’ve learned-that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I’ve learned-that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned-that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I’ve learned-that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I’ve learned-that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I’ve learned-that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I’ve learned-that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned-that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I’ve learned-that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren’t related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren’t biological.

I’ve learned-that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned-that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I’ve learned-that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I’ve learned-that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

I’ve learned-that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

I’ve learned-that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I’ve learned-that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I’ve learned-that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I’ve learned-that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I’ve learned-that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I’ve learned-that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I’ve learned-that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I’ve learned-that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

I’ve learned-that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.