Character and Goals

What comes first, building character, or achieving goals?

I've seen people achieve their goals at any cost. Their dedication is unlimited, but the cost is too high. If achieving a goal changes who you are in ways that you would not have chosen or in ways that would alarm your friends, maybe the goal was too much. Character -- who you are -- matters. 

If achieving your goal subtracts anything from your clarity, your courage, your creativity, and your compassion, that's too much. If achieving your goal diminishes your character -- how you live and treat other people -- that's too much.

Achieving goals is important but so is building character -- and without character your goals don't matter.

Character comes first.

-- doug smith