Foundations vs. Goals : Or Where Do I Start?

Where does one start when recreating one's life?  Do I start with an end goal and then work backwards from Goal to Steps to Blueprint to Foundation?  Or do I start with the Foundation and then work my way up to the final Goal?  Surely life isn't as difficult as determining "which came first, the chicken or the egg?"!

I can see the argument for both methodologies.  Take cooking, for example.  If you want to make a cake, it helps to begin with the end Goal in mind:  a cake.  From there you follow the Steps of finding a recipe (the Blueprint) and gathering the ingredients that form the cake batter (the Foundation).  Sometimes, however, you might approach cooking from the opposite direction.  When asked "what's for dinner?" you might start by opening the pantry and taking stock of what you have to work with.  Here you are starting with the Foundation (the ingredients you have on hand), fitting them into a Blueprint (protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and dairy), and then discovering the end Goal (meat plus three or a casserole, for example).

Is one method better than the other?  Not necessarily.  Both methods are valid and each works best under different sets of circumstances.  And so it is in life.

Life Is Short, Eat Dessert First.  That's the theory I followed for my first career.  I started with the cake -- the Goal of being an attorney.  I began with the idea that being an attorney would satisfy my "sweet tooth", my longing for acceptance and approval.  From there I worked backwards to define the Blueprint (college, law school, bar exam, job) and Steps (the specific classes, summer jobs, etc.) necessary to attain the Goal.  And it worked.

What possibly could be the problem?  Well, quite simply, I don't think I gave the Foundation the attention it deserved.  I built my metaphorical house on a Foundation overshadowed by the end Goal.

Fortunately, I am blessed with the opportunity for a "do-over".  So this time around I am taking a different approach.  I am keeping an open mind about the end Goal.  I am less concerned about "what I'll be when I grow up" than I am with defining the essential ingredients for creating a strong Foundation grounded by my values and utilizing my God-given talents.

I don't know what the end result will be.  Not yet anyway.  But I do know that this time, the pie's the limit!

Comments

[Karen Keith]

Amazing, Melony! You echo what a lot of people feel, but aren't brave enough to admit!

[jennifer brandenburg]

mel...meg shared your blog with me this weekend...i hope you don't mind...i am soooooo happy for you and so impressed with you!!!...what a great way for you to "think out loud"...and actually state your goals...chart your progress...and watch yourself grow...WOW...my first impression as i read your blogs was...what about writing???...that is soooooo creative...and you are absolutely awesome at it...all of your blogs are so interesting and descriptive...i feel like i am where you have been...and those are definitely my favorite writers...for instance nora roberts...and of course, all the things she is describing are things i love...homes, gardens, cooking, baking, clothes...all the things you like too...just like your fall blog...anyone would attend your fall festival!!!...and your arts blog...music blog...the best is...you are completely in the moment and appreciating all you experience...what a gift!!!...seriously...lots of people don't see it, feel it, or appreciate it!!!...love you...jen

[Melony]

Jen - Thank you, thank you, thank you! You know the Bburgs are not typically known for "thinking outside the box", so it means that much more to me that you get it! I've always worried about disappointing Big Daddy, NaNa, Mike . . . but then I decided that the greatest disappointment would be miserable and NOT do anything about it . . . to disappoint MYSELF. I've been amazed by the positive support I've gotten from my colleagues and friends. I think there are even more lawyers out there than I ever dreamed that wish they *could* make such a leap. I'm very, very excited about my future now!

As for writing - until recently I had not really tried writing other than technical/legal writing. I knew I was pretty good at the fundamentals of writing - grammar, punctuation, etc. - but had never considered it otherwise. I've had several people encourage me to give writing a chance, and this blog is a way for me to explore the possibilities and get to know my own "voice".

Thanks again for all of your nice comments!!!