You're not too ill to set goals.
If you're suffering from health issues it should be your primary focus to work on the parts you DO have control over. If your diabetes, or joint pain, or gout, or whatever other issues you're having are connected to obesity, then your goals must be weight loss. If you're dealing with mental disorders, then your goals must be improving your control of those difficulties. And so on, and so forth.
You're not too far behind to set goals.
The worst feeling in the world is that a thing is so far gone that it's impossible. First of all, with God nothing is impossible. Secondly, besides God's strength you CAN pull yourself up and out IF YOU MAKE A PLAN. (Uh-hem. In other words, if you set goals.) You may need to get counsel, you'll need to morph your plan as you go, but you can get out of debt, or start a new career, or change your lifestyle, or anything you want!
You're not too old to set goals.
As a matter of fact, the habits acquired inadvertently through the experiences of age are the very reason one should deliberately chart their days. There is so much to do! Why sit at home angry and resentful at a spouse who's got cabin-fever and therefore bickers about every little thing? Do BOTH yourselves a favor and get out of the house! Could you use a few extra dollars? Then go work someplace. It's not beneath you to be a cashier. If the atmosphere is enjoyable, work there. Or volunteer someplace. Besides soup kitchens, there are libraries, and nursing homes, and shelters, and gardens in parks. You'll meet new people there, you'll learn new skills there, you'll contribute there, and if you're a Christian you'll be a soul-winner there.
The magical thing about goal setting is that it improves ALL of your life even though you may only be focused particularly on one or two things. My personal experience is that I've inadvertently inspired myself to change a health habit because I was working toward establishing a music habit. And I've changed a writing habit because I was working toward changing a thinking habit. And that's yet another lovely bit of "magic" about goal setting; habits are created.
Habits are the muscle that make goal-attaining possible. The more we live life without a plan, the less gets accomplished, yet the more stress and baggage we acquire. This spirals into a feeling of helplessness. People who declare a thing they want to accomplish, then WRITE THAT THING DOWN, after research and/or counsel from a voice of experience DATE WHEN the goal is expected to be accomplished, are happier people. Are they happier because their dated/written goal magically caused the class to be finished, or the book to be written, or whatever their goal was? No. The work toward the goal still must be done. They're happier because they've taken a bit of control over their own life. Will unexpected scenarios delay and sabotage the plans? Most likely. But that's ok! You simply reevaluate and get back on track. Easy-peasy.
I laugh at the idea that failure is not an option. It's not an option, its a GIVEN. What is NOT an option is surrender.
So, dust off your dreams. Or if by chance you've already accomplished everything you ever wanted, that is still not a reason to not make plans and set goals. The scripture is FULL of instructions and commandments that have yet to be accomplished. For instance, if you're an older person you have the challenge of teaching the younger. Get after it! There are challenges to feed the hungry. Challenges to memorize scripture. Challenges to create healthier patterns of thinking. GET AFTER IT!
There is no excuse to not rise up and make things more manageable, easier controlled, and more enjoyable.
I've got my own challenges to which I need to arise and conquer. And do you know how I'm going to do it?
Through Christ, and the multitude of counsel, and good, old-fahioned hard work!
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