why i don’t set goals + a recipe
Day 29 of the 30 day challenge is to talk about my goals for the next 30 days. Honestly, I don’t make short-term goals like that. I don’t work well with short-term goals. I have learned that short-term goals make me obsessive. They make me too rigid and too inflexible. I actually work better looking at the bigger picture. I have goals…we all goals…but my goals are broader and more about things I want to accomplish in the future, or things I want to do. By focusing on the bigger picture it is easier for me to not get stressed out if I am imperfect one day. I focus on Progress NOT Perfection. The goals I do make are usually personal and err on the side of personal growth. Goals I am not 100% comfortable sharing. My goals are very personal to me and I usually only share them with Keith and a handful of other friends whom I trust because they offer opinions, advice and support all free of judgement.
But if you are looking for some thing fun head over to my Project 52 page and look at some things I am doing this year. Project 52 came from my friend Allena and it is a list of 52 things to do this year. For every thing you fail to complete then you must donate $5 for each uncompleted task to your favorite charity at the end of the year. I thought this was such a fun idea because it is a win/win. You win for trying new things and if you for some reason don’t complete everything then your favorite charity wins too!
Are you a goal setter?
And because I haven’t posted a recipe in a while I want to go ahead and share one with you. This is my all time favorite salad recipe. I make this a lot over the summer because it is so fresh and light.
Southwest Confetti Salad from Cooking Light
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup coarsely chopped zucchini
1 cup grated carrot
½ cup diced plum tomato
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.
Yields: 6 (1 cup) servings
What Kelly Said 
for once, a blogger that doesn’t set hourly goals!! about time. i’m the same way; i like to look at the bigger picture and not “Set goals” but work towards a place i want to be at….know what i mean?? if i set a million short term “mini monday goals” or “mini weekend goals” i’ll fail and get down on myself. you are a breath of fresh air!!
Thanks Julie! I never understood those mini monday goals either…that is so not me! ha!
Kelly I have only recently decided to not set monthly goals — they were too much for me and when I didn’t meet them I felt like a failure — I know that sounds so dramatic! I do have larger goals but like you, I keep them to myself or I talk about them in much broader terms on my blog.
That salad looks delicious!
Kelly,
I totally understand why you don’t like to set small goals, I am the same way. For so many things, fitness in particular, I think too much goals setting ruins the fun of it (for me) and doesn’t allow me to be flexible as I go.
I think Project 52 is a fabulous idea 🙂
Finally! Someone else who doesn’t set goals! I mean, of course, I have life goals, like going back to school and becoming a teacher. But the short term goal thing doesn’t work for me either. I already know what I want, so saying “I’m going to do this in 30 days” kind of just distracts me from life.
That salad sounds amazing. Thanks for posting it, I’m always looking for new salad recipes in the summer.
Not really a short term goal setter either, I prefer to focus on the long term. And you just reminded me that I need to make my black bean and corn salsa soon!
That salad looks soo good! I am always looking for summer salads! I can’t wait to make this!
Oh…and I don’t really set short-term goals. I mean, I have goals to run races and stuff like that, but when it comes to big life situations, I just take things as they happen and work on long-term stuff.
My friend made this salad and brought it to a BBQ at my house. SO good!!
I don’t set goals either. I have some ideas of things I want to accomplish long-term, but not really “goals” per se.
Hmmm… I am and am not a goal setter. I like to have things to work towards but like you, I tend to get obsessive with them, taking away the fun and messing with my mind. So I like to complete things but if they don’t work out, I am ok with that too. It’s taken a long time for me to get to that point. lol
I like your approach. And that you only confide in a select few. Almost makes things more special. And I really like that project 52! What a great idea.
I have a hard time with short-term as well. I end up being a self sabatoger… after learning my lesson time and time again, I decided to just continue looking at the bigger picture. 🙂
I am the opposite. I feel like if I don’t set goals, I completely lack any focus. It helps me to write them down.
That salad looks delicious.
I don’t set short term goals either, I like to think long term. I do make a lot of lists though, so that may count as short term goals…but it usual involves, “get to food store and pick up peanut butter”.
Love that recipe!
That looks SO good!!
I like your perspective on short term goals, gives me a lot to think about 🙂
I’m not really a goal setter either.
I don’t make new years resolutions either.
The only thing that I really have been trying to work on is stretching more…but that’s more of a long term goal.
LOVE that salad recipe, I’m DEFINITELY book marking it to make after we get back 🙂