2021, week 14: My 5 Year Plan, 1 year in

 I like lists. And goals.

I used to hate goals, until I understood the power of them. My view of goals changed when I worked at Deseret Industries (D.I.). There employees were required to meet weekly with their job coach (supervisor) to discuss their progress on goals they had previously established. After working there for a few months I was invited to attend a meeting for the job coaches, to share my experience of how setting goals and having weekly meetings with my job coach had helped me. I kind of felt like a fraud, because I hated setting goals and having to report on them, but my job coach, Mac, made it fun. While I was putting clothes away (I worked in the women's clothing department) he'd come over and ask how school was going, how my church calling was, or if I'd finally asked that cute boy out. (I swear he was my biggest cheerleader, especially when it came to dating!) As I opened up and built a relationship with Mac it became easier to talk about my goals, not seeing them as big, daunting tasks. I saw goals as things I could achieve, that would enhance my quality of life.

Now, I love goals! Something happens, a passion and desire ignites once you've made a goal, especially if it used to simply be a dream. An important part of successfully achieving goals is accountability. So, I want to share my 5 year plan with you. I created this plan last year. Some things have already changed, and some goals I have not shared, because they are personal or meant to be kept between a few people.

Denali's 5 Year Plan (2020-2024)

Career

• Event coordinator

• Freelance writer (photojournalism especially)

• Seminary teacher

Creativity

• Coloring

• Document Design

• Photography

Culture

• German

• Welsh

Dating

• Fall in love again

• First kiss

Education

• MBA

Finances

• Pay student loans monthly.

• No credit cards, until less than $5,000 in student loans.

Music

• Lyrics into a book. See “Live Like You Were Dying” and “I Hope You Dance” for inspiration. At least 1 of my songs.

Outside of Comfort Zone

• Become real-life friends with someone I met online.

Pets

• Bunny

• Goldfish

• Volunteer at the animal shelter

Plants

• 1 large plant

• Succulents
  

• Garden (when I have a backyard OR room inside for a vertical garden)

Responsibility

• Don’t shy away from leadership responsibilities

• Seek out 1 opportunity

• Ex: Coordinator

Service

• Old Folks’ Home

• Pen pals

Spiritual

• Read Jesus the Christ.

• Read the Standard Works again, by July 21, 2022 (day before my 30th birthday)

Travel

• Church history tour

Writing

• Publish memoir

• Publish YSA satire novel
  

Love,

D. J. Lathrop

What are some of your goals? How are you going to achieve them?