Trivia time! What theme, other than love, is found in songs by the following artists: Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Elvis Presley, Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, Air Supply, Patsy Cline, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay and Taylor Swift? The answer is dreaming and it’s the theme of 200 songs. Not all songs reflect the same type of dream; but it does show that a lot of song writers dream.
Some dreaming is nothing more than improbable or impossible fantasizing. There is form of dreaming, however, that’s profitable and healthy. It’s dreaming in the form of goal setting.
It’s estimated that only 5% of Americans have clearly defined daily goals. If that’s true, then 95% of us go through each day flying by the seat of our pants. That may explain why we can end our day feeling exhausted while feeling like we didn’t accomplish much.
When Life Magazine was a weekly publication, it told the story of John Goddard. At age 15, he set 127 life goals. At age 74, he had achieved 109. Here are a few of the goals Goddard set and accomplished:
*Climb Mt. Ararat, Mt. Ranier, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Grand Tetons, Matter Horn.
*Explore Great Barrier Reef, Okefenokee Swamp, Everglades.
*Explore entire length of Nile River in kayak (1st to do it).
*Ride in Rose Bowl Parade, appear in Tarzan movie, parachute jump, dive in submarine.
*Milk diamondback rattlesnake.
*Live with different tribal groups (260, including headhunters).
*Visit Great Wall of China, North Pole, South Pole, Vatican, Tower of London, Taj Mahal.
*Become a pilot (47 different types of aircraft).
I’m not suggesting anything so elaborate – just select a goal and begin with purpose. Most areas of life can benefit from this kind of dreaming. The list is too long to mention specifics, so let me offer 3 challenges to kickstart all of us to dream a little dream of our own.
PICK SOMETHING: Lose weight? Get out of debt? Spend more time with loved ones? Improve your job performance? Clean the refrigerator? Detail your car? It’s your goal, but you must pick it.
START SOMEWHERE: Don’t let the big picture overwhelm you. A load of debt won’t disappear overnight. But you can start by spending less than you make. It’s not flashy but month by month can get there. Whatever you set as a goal, start it.
DO YOUR BEST: Life can be hard. People can be difficult. Being consistent can be boring and tiring. Make it your goal to do your best anyway. Speak good things. Do good things. Value people. Show love to others. Doing your best is a wonderful, powerful purpose. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” – Col. 3:23
One more comment on John Goddard. His last goal was to see 21st century. He did that, too. Check out this link: My Life list – Official Website of John Goddard
Go for the goal!
And remember – you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (12/1/2025)
