Much like the prospectors, I believe that all of us are looking for gold in our lives. But sadly, most of us do not know how to tell fool's gold from real gold. What we need then is an acid test for our goals in order for us to determine whether or not they are worth pursuing.
What you and I believe will determine our goals. These goals become life principles around which we organize our efforts. A good way to understand why we do what we do is to ask ourselves a series of questions. Here are five Acid Tests that I use to help me determine if my goals are as good as gold:
Check your motivation throughout. Ask yourself, "what am I trying to accomplish or avoid?" Here the biggest problem we run into is self-honesty. Dr. Lawrence Crabb says, "The deceitfulness of our heart renders us incapable of accurately identifying our real goals without help." I would suggest a trusted friend or colleague who has the ability to be objective. Someone who has nothing personally involved or at stake with regards to your goal.
Do your goals attempt to bring the best to others or manipulate others? Whenever the goal of our behavior is essentially to change other people, whether the change is good or bad, we are wrong. Unless there is the purpose of communicating love based on an awareness of another's needs, we qualify as a manipulator and not a friend.
How do you feel when my goal is blocked? Most of the time we feel angry or at least frustrated. I am convinced that if our goals are not manipulative then when they are thwarted for any reason we need not become angry. The beauty of gold cannot be obscured and therefore golden objectives cannot be obfuscated (lol...I like that word). If it is blocked, reassess don't explode.
Are your goals built on hope or despair? Many people have gloomy visions of the future: economic collapse, fold of the U.S. government, divorce rates, diseases and crime. These prognosticators of gloom have a goal of survival and nothing more. Make sure that your goals are logical, but dream beyond survival toward a vibrant thriving life.