What Is Your Lifetime Achievement Goal?

Just thinking about “Lifetime Achievement” is a weighty subject. Recently my staff at corecubed nominated me for an award for Lifetime Achievement in Business. I was honored and humbled by their support and kind words of nomination, but it got me to thinking about achieving goals in a lifetime.

When you are younger, goals are related to making/saving money, raising children properly, accomplishing levels at work and advancing. When you are closer to the end of life spectrum, however, goals take on a new meaning. Watching progress of offspring and grandchildren. Traveling to places that are new, different, or exciting. Paying closer attention to the clouds, the smells of the forest, the vibrant colors in the flowers that are so appealing to the bees and the hummingbirds. Working on how to stay in better shape so that the inevitable pains and aches that accompany an aging body are not overwhelming.

When someone decides to continue working and not retire, as I and my husband have done, it colors the definition of later life goals and how to achieve them. Yet, business goals shift as others take on management and direction, as technology and youth present new possibilities. The achievement begins to lie in stepping back a bit and watching others blossom, adding wisdom as appropriate and taking pride in knowing that something you’ve worked hard to build can continue on – and perhaps even improve – with less of your own involvement.

So, have you achieved your lifetime goals? If not, what are the ones that you have still to accomplish?