New Year's Goals Revisited: My Symphony

This year, I decided to set New Year's goals instead of New Year's Resolutions.  I have had practice in goal setting at work and thought that goals and objectives that I would track for the whole year, following the "SMART" format (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) would serve me better.  They are an improvement over the resolutions I've set in the past (such as lose 40 pounds or improve fitness, without any concrete plan about how to achieve the resolution.)

I still felt something was missing and this month's Oprah magazine provided what is, for me, the "mission statement" that I needed -- what is behind all the resolutions, goals, objectives -- the "big picture" of what I want to be.  Oprah's magazine published a part of "My Symphony" by William Henry Channing.  Actually, I have the poem in its entirety.  It's a book illustrated by Mary Engelbreit.  The information will follow at the bottom of this posting.  Here is the poem -- what you might call "my mission statement".

To live content with small means:

To seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

To be worthy, not respectable;

and wealthy, not rich;

To study hard,

think quietly,

talk gently,

act frankly;

To listen to stars and birds,

To babes and sages, with open heart,

to bear all cheerfully,

do all bravely,

await occasions,

hurry never.

..To let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,

grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.