Trading Goals for Shopping Lists

Published: July 9, 2011

I’ve traded my list of goals for shopping lists.

Think about it for a minute. When it comes to a shopping list, we tend to think of purchasing items. The list could consist of clothing items needed for a vacation or the more mundane list of grocery items. Whatever the list, we feel pretty confident that the items are obtainable.

Sometimes we have to substitute one item for another, like buying skim milk instead of 2% fat, but if the need for milk is strong enough, the compromise seems small.

Goals

Now think about goals. The word goal sounds more labor-intensive than a shopping list. After all, for a shopping list, all you need is money and transportation. Goals, on the other hand, usually involve exercise, dietary changes or some other currency. We often get lost in the act of defining and re-defining the currency instead of achieving the goal.

Swapping Lists: Goals for Shopping

I sat down and wrote a shopping list of items (aka goals) that are important to me. After writing the list, I did a little dreaming. I envisioned how my life would change after “purchasing” each item. After mentally seeing, feeling and experiencing the change I went about purchasing the items on my shopping list.

Purchasing goals aren’t as quick and easy as going to the grocery store, but attaining goals is so much more rewarding. It’s all about attaining vs. obtaining.

About the Author: I am Felicia A. Williams, a wife, mom, grandma, writer and eternal student.

Last Modified: 28 November 2020