Comments on: To Goal or Not to Goal http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html Images and writing about my abstract contemporary textile art by Lisa Call. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:36:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Lisa Call http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15160 Lisa Call Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:48:28 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15160 Thank you everyone for your comments on this post. I think you all made a good case for doing things in just about every fashion, from lots of structured goals to few or none. Acceptance for all choices is a wonderful thing. And thanks for the encouragement. Thank you everyone for your comments on this post. I think you all made a good case for doing things in just about every fashion, from lots of structured goals to few or none. Acceptance for all choices is a wonderful thing.

And thanks for the encouragement.

]]> By: cynthia http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15147 cynthia Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:33:22 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15147 My goals/planning strategy falls somewhere in between your father's and his wife's philosophies - just like Goldilocks - not too much, not to little. It seems to work well for me. Lately, I've been flying by the seat of my pants and that stresses me out. My goals/planning strategy falls somewhere in between your father’s and his wife’s philosophies - just like Goldilocks - not too much, not to little. It seems to work well for me.

Lately, I’ve been flying by the seat of my pants and that stresses me out.

]]> By: San Merideth http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15144 San Merideth Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:47:00 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15144 In a book a few years ago--cannot remember which--someone used the term "workaphile"-- to refer to a person who thrives on working and getting things done, who gets back energy from accomplishing. When I am "in the flow," even working with spreadsheets at the gallery is fun. When I feel overwhelmed by the tide of responsibility, I start to feel cheated by time. That's when, if possible, I take a day to do nothing productive. That can feel really good too. A mini-vacation. You are so wise, Lisa, to know who you are and what makes you happy and to be just that! You go, girl. And go and go and go... : ) In a book a few years ago–cannot remember which–someone used the term “workaphile”– to refer to a person who thrives on working and getting things done, who gets back energy from accomplishing. When I am “in the flow,” even working with spreadsheets at the gallery is fun. When I feel overwhelmed by the tide of responsibility, I start to feel cheated by time. That’s when, if possible, I take a day to do nothing productive. That can feel really good too. A mini-vacation.

You are so wise, Lisa, to know who you are and what makes you happy and to be just that! You go, girl. And go and go and go… : )

]]> By: Diane Clancy http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15118 Diane Clancy Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:02:41 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15118 Hi Lisa, This is a great post!! I guess I am one with the goals. My partner thinks I work too hard ... or perhaps not hard enough ... and you are right ... that defending myself and my choices is exhausting. Things are complicated for me living with a chronic illness. I have had plenty of years when what I could accomplish was meditating and working on myself because that is all I could do. So I want to do when I can!! Of course, it is (for me) the balance thing also ... not getting worse by pushing too hard. But I guess that is the clue ... moving with my work or pushing. And I am also really wanting to leave the earth a better place, so I work very hard to be a good community member. ~ Diane Clancy <a title="www.dianeclancy.com/blog" href="http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog" rel="nofollow">www.dianeclancy.com/blog</a> Hi Lisa,

This is a great post!! I guess I am one with the goals. My partner thinks I work too hard … or perhaps not hard enough … and you are right … that defending myself and my choices is exhausting.

Things are complicated for me living with a chronic illness. I have had plenty of years when what I could accomplish was meditating and working on myself because that is all I could do. So I want to do when I can!!

Of course, it is (for me) the balance thing also … not getting worse by pushing too hard. But I guess that is the clue … moving with my work or pushing.

And I am also really wanting to leave the earth a better place, so I work very hard to be a good community member.

~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog

]]> By: BeeBee http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15084 BeeBee Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:20:03 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15084 I am all for goals if that is your way to manage your life/work/stuff. What always puzzled me was why people like me without goals were looked at as if there was something wrong with us. I don't need goals to be productive; I actually seem to work better in the studio without a goal in mind. I'd like to think that not having goals doesn't make me weird!!! Also, being goal oriented and being organized are two different things. Keeping lists and spreadsheets as some have mentioned is an organizational tool; that's a logical thing giving you focus. Goals are what you're striving to achieve, where you want your road to lead you. I prefer to wander "off the beaten path" in that regard..... I am all for goals if that is your way to manage your life/work/stuff. What always puzzled me was why people like me without goals were looked at as if there was something wrong with us. I don’t need goals to be productive; I actually seem to work better in the studio without a goal in mind. I’d like to think that not having goals doesn’t make me weird!!! Also, being goal oriented and being organized are two different things. Keeping lists and spreadsheets as some have mentioned is an organizational tool; that’s a logical thing giving you focus. Goals are what you’re striving to achieve, where you want your road to lead you. I prefer to wander “off the beaten path” in that regard…..

]]> By: Dagmar http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15051 Dagmar Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:33:54 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15051 Lisa-- good for you! It's all about being authentic, i.e. to thine own Self be true... Lisa– good for you! It’s all about being authentic, i.e. to thine own Self be true…

]]> By: margeeth http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15048 margeeth Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:24:28 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15048 PS I am in the Netherlands, it's half past eleven in the morning over here, not the middle of the night..... PS I am in the Netherlands, it’s half past eleven in the morning over here, not the middle of the night…..

]]> By: margeeth http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15047 margeeth Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:23:31 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15047 I am totally with you on this. Everyone should be able to live in a way that's suits him/ her best, with or without goals and not be judged because of it. I am a very active person myself, can't sit still. People tend to react negatively to this ("you never relax", "just sit still for a moment" and so on). Actually, when I am doing something I am relaxed. When my children were small I had to spent hours just watching them or stacking blocks on each other or helping them with the same thing over and over again every day. It drove me up the wall. Now I only have the two week family holiday to get through. There is no space in the car for much stuff for me to be creative, so there is a lot of just watching the kids do their activities. The whole family comes back home refreshed except for me, I am totally and I mean really totally stressed out from those two weeks, have to get into the attic and make something to unwind and nobody has to get in my way then, that's dangerous! I am totally with you on this. Everyone should be able to live in a way that’s suits him/ her best, with or without goals and not be judged because of it.
I am a very active person myself, can’t sit still. People tend to react negatively to this (”you never relax”, “just sit still for a moment” and so on). Actually, when I am doing something I am relaxed. When my children were small I had to spent hours just watching them or stacking blocks on each other or helping them with the same thing over and over again every day. It drove me up the wall.
Now I only have the two week family holiday to get through. There is no space in the car for much stuff for me to be creative, so there is a lot of just watching the kids do their activities. The whole family comes back home refreshed except for me, I am totally and I mean really totally stressed out from those two weeks, have to get into the attic and make something to unwind and nobody has to get in my way then, that’s dangerous!

]]> By: PaMdora http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15034 PaMdora Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:51:26 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15034 I think it can be stressful to not set goals if you're the kind of person who needs to achieve. You definitely have a more rigorous way of writing and checking your goals than I do, but I have goals even though I have a more fluid way of dealing with them. For the past few months, I've tried keeping spreadsheets of goals and activities similar to what you've suggested, but it really hasn't worked for me Last weekend I found a program called OmniFocus this is more fluid and I'm beta-testing it now and really liked it. I'll probably buy the pre-release sale (launch is in Jan. 08). Also it lead me to the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. (this time I can truely recommend the book because I'm on the last chapter and loving it.) I'll probably try to write on my blog about it in a few days. I think it can be stressful to not set goals if you’re the kind of person who needs to achieve. You definitely have a more rigorous way of writing and checking your goals than I do, but I have goals even though I have a more fluid way of dealing with them.

For the past few months, I’ve tried keeping spreadsheets of goals and activities similar to what you’ve suggested, but it really hasn’t worked for me

Last weekend I found a program called OmniFocus this is more fluid and I’m beta-testing it now and really liked it. I’ll probably buy the pre-release sale (launch is in Jan. 08). Also it lead me to the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. (this time I can truely recommend the book because I’m on the last chapter and loving it.)

I’ll probably try to write on my blog about it in a few days.

]]> By: jafabrit http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15033 jafabrit Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:41:01 +0000 http://blog.lisacall.com/2007/12/to-goal-or-not-to-goal.html#comment-15033 I like lists as guidelines for the day, but I don't stress if it doesn't get done (it goes on the next days list). It sure is satisfying though to see each item on the list ticked off or at least most of them :) I am totally with you on not defending one's choices and with Wanda about being true to one's self :) I like lists as guidelines for the day, but I don’t stress if it doesn’t get done (it goes on the next days list). It sure is satisfying though to see each item on the list ticked off or at least most of them :)

I am totally with you on not defending one’s choices and with Wanda about being true to one’s self :)

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