Henry David Thoreau said, "People seldom hit what they do not aim at.”

Do you know what you are aiming at?

I grew up on a farm in eastern North Dakota. Because it is the site of a former ancient glacial lake-bed it is extremely flat. That makes for great farming where millions of acres of crops are raised.

I was always amazed at how straight my dad could plow a field. When I asked my dad about this he explained how he did it. He said, "you make the furrow straight by picking a point at the other end of the field and keeping your eye on it. Then you drive the tractor to that point (not taking your eye off of it) and when you get there and look back you will have a straight furrow!”

And he did plow a straight furrow if I have ever seen one!

Do you have a point in mind down at the end of the road that you are aiming at? It's amazing how many people don't!

Do you know what you are aiming at?

In your relationships with your spouse, significant other, children, and friends have you given thought to the kind of time you want to spend with them? Do you know what you mean when you say "quality relationships?” I'm not telling you. I'm just asking you if you know what YOU are aiming at.

In terms of your health, do you have goals that you want to reach in order to enjoy the physical fruits of all your hard work? Or, are you just going to plow through life hoping that one day you'll have enough energy and health left?

In your ongoing life education (formal and informal), do you continue to have an inquisitive mind that is co

In your career do you know what you are aiming at or do you just go through the daily routine and collect a paycheck every week or two? Do you have a goal in mind at the end of the field?

How about your finances? Do you know what you are aiming at or do you just hope that one day when you retire there will be enough money to cover your expenses?

Do you really know what you are aiming at in life? If you don't there will be a day when you look back and say, "What was that all about?” I think the people who ask that question are the ones who had nothing they were aiming at all along the way of life. Please, don't be one of them.

Let this be the day that you begin to know what you are aiming at. Talk about it with other important people in your life. Get a road map out for your future and figure out what it is you aiming at!

And if you know what you are aiming it, some day when you look back, you will know that you plowed a straight furrow and hit your goals!