Quote 1

"No plan. No objective. No goal. The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere, and the road to nowhere leads to dreams sacrificed, opportunities squandered, and a life unfulfilled" (Thomas S. Monson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, p. 73; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, p. 51).

Handout or chalkboard

Goal-setting process

Step 1: Evaluate (decide what needs to be done)-Make a list of the things you would like to know, qualities and abilities that you would like to possess, and things that you want to accomplish in your life.

Step 2: Plan (what to do and when)-Write down the goal and how you plan to reach it. Remember, a goal not written down is merely a wish. If you want to, choose a parent, friend, or leader to whom you will report the progress you make. Set a time to complete your goal and dates along the way to check your progress.

Step 3: Act on the plan-If the goal is something you can do by yourself, do it! If you need help, ask someone to help you complete your goal.

Step 4: Report on progress and results-Meet with the person to whom you chose to report your progress. Tell what you have done and check your progress. Some of your goals may be confidential. You can check yourself or report them to Heavenly Father in prayer.

After you have completed step 4, begin the process again by evaluating what you would like to do next.

Story 1

The teacher and girls of a Young Women class were concerned about one of the members of their class. They chose as a class goal to try to activate Cheryl by the end of the school year. They knew this would probably be a long-range goal, as she had come to class only two times in three years. They set some short-range goals and told their teacher they would report progress to her. Their goals were (1) to get Cheryl to come to one of their activities and (2) to get her to come to a Sunday lesson. They wrote down a plan for each goal and began to take action.

The first goal was quite easy. The girls knew that Cheryl loved basketball and played on her school's basketball team. The girls planned a sports night and asked her if she would come and give them some tips on playing basketball. She willingly accepted, and the activity was a great success.

The second goal was a little harder. They continued to be her friend at school. They also took her class handouts, but she still seemed uncomfortable and uninterested in coming on Sunday. Then as a class activity, the girls and their teacher went to one of Cheryl's school basketball games to watch her play. They all cheered loudly and ran to congratulate her after the victory. The following Sunday Cheryl was at church! For the first time, she seemed to feel comfortable and laughed and talked with the girls. The girls continued their efforts and love, and Cheryl came to more and more church meetings. In

Quote 2

"We should all constantly evaluate our progress. To live righteous lives and accomplish the purpose of our creation, we must constantly review the past, determine our present status, and set goals for the future. Without this process there is little chance of reaching one's objectives" (O. Leslie Stone, in Conference Report, Apr. 1978, p. 87; or Ensign, May 1978, p. 57).

Story 2

Claudia had always had the long-range goal of a temple marriage, but it seemed a long way into the future. She started to date quite regularly someone who was not a member of the Church. But she didn't see any real harm in it because he was such a nice young man. Besides, she didn't intend their relationship to become serious. Many of their dates were planned for Sunday to accommodate his work schedule. At first, Claudia tried to attend her Church meetings, too. But the meeting times didn't always coincide with their dating plans, so she began to miss Church meetings more often. She was becoming inactive and began to participate in activities on the Sabbath that had been unacceptable to her in the past.

Claudia's parents and bishop were concerned about her course. In an interview, her bishop asked her about her long-range goals. She insisted that a temple marriage was still high on her list. Together they began to measure her progress toward that goal and evaluate the short-range goals that would lead her to that goal. Claudia realized that her goals of scripture study, church attendance, and obedience to several of the Lord's commandments were not being accomplished. Claudia's parents and bishop helped her formulate some short-range goals that would correct her course and eventually help her reach her long-range goal of temple marriage. With courage, commitment, and the help of Heavenly Father, Claudia changed what needed to be changed at a critical time in her life. Several years later, she met a worthy young man and was married in the temple for time and all eternity.

Quote 3

"Some alternatives are long and hard, but they take us in the right direction toward our ultimate goal; others are short, wide, and pleasant, but they go off in the wrong direction. It is important to get our ultimate objectives clearly in mind so that we do not become distracted at each fork in the road" (Spencer W. Kimball, "Decisions: Why It's Important to Make Some Now," New Era, Apr. 1971, p. 3).

Story 3

"After my mission I wanted to attend college, but my family could not afford to send me. So I took a job in the freight yards of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles to earn money for school. I worked fourteen hours a day moving freight between warehouses and boxcars on a two-wheeled hand truck. Often I had a thousand-pound load on the hand truck. I'm sure you can understand why I was tired at the end of the day.