Is Goal Setting Good Or Bad?

larc

Is Goal Setting Good Or Bad? sounds like the title of an Awake! Goal setting can be very good in that it gives direction, purpose and accomplishment in a person's life. Now, the bad part can be that specific goals lead to a narrowness of vision and purpose. I see this as the major problem of the goals foisted on the average Witness. They are given specific goals as far as number of field service hours, number of magazines placed, number of book studies to conduct, etc. This whole goal setting process was put in place by Knorr, and for many years it worked wonders in increasing the membership. However, and this is a big however, the whole goal orientation allowed the religion and the individuals in it, to ignore very important Christian goals. Foremost of these are, helping widows and orphans, offering charity to the poor, visiting the sick, and helping the elderly. As a result, the religion is a shallow, empty reflection of what Christianity should be. Well, those are my thoughts. What are yours?

jgnat

I don't think goal setting is so bad. I do so every year, and fail on about half of them. I found out the sky does not cave in when I fail. I am still all of a piece, and there is always next year. Also, half my goals were reached! It means I have read many more books, learned a new language, bought a house (not all in the same year). I am very protective of my goals, and I only tell people I really trust.

I think the key is who is setting the goals for WTS members, and who is watching? Do long standing WTS members have any personal goals?

What goals does God set for us? I am still working on:

Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride...I Corinthians 13:4 BBE

dsgal

My mother and I were discussing this very topic just today.We were mostly ignored by the witnesses when my dad died .If you weren't in the clique no one cared if you had a death in the family and needed them to show some kindness.My brother's church was right there at the funeral home paying respects and taking food to his house.We were actually ashamed of the way the jws avoided us and we had to try to explain it to relatives who asked where they all were.It was actually embarrassing.My dad was not baptized but my mother and I were.This is a hurt we still haven't gotten over after 12 years.I tried to go back once but was treated even more coldly the second time.They study about love but it takes a backseat to getting in your time,preparing meeting parts and so on.I imagine the WTBS gets a lot of complaints about this sort of thing or they wouldn't have had to come out with the brochure "when someone you love dies".It seems to me it's only human nature to show kindness at a time like that,but they lose all humanness after a while.

Thirdson

Hi Larc,

In the JW setting goals are a poor motivation. There is no structured goal setting, no performance evaluation, no help on achieving goals and no reward for achieving or bettering goals. In the work place goal setting and performance evaluation is important if not essential. I am assessed on my goal achievement and I assess my reports. We have goals in various areas and not just related to work productivity but focused on growth in technical skills as well as team and management growth. At work we even have goals in participation in volunteer, community activity, and in fund raising for charity.

I find that problems or lack of motivation occur when goals are simply transferred to each succeeding year. Goals associated with "just doing my job" neither motivate nor grow people. In the JW world, goals are focused on commitment of hours spent knocking on doors, i.e., "just doing my job." With personal responsibilities, the need to work and develop in the secular world, or even the need just to provide food and clothing means that the time commitment to the Watchtower Society's sales program is always a lower priority. JWs don't grow through developing a commitment to charitable activities, they don't grow by being better people, they get few rewards and then only if they are of the male persuasion. A JW is assessed merely on what he/she writes on the time card. Their spirituality is graded according to the amount of time they spend in the almost futile activity of finding converts through cold calling.

If a JW spends 10 hours a month knocking on doors and sets a goal of increasing this service by 10% each year how long will it take the person to burn-out or runs out of hours in the day? At some point, and varying with each individual no further increase can be made. In any congregation, long term members reach some point of stagnation and stop growing. A number of these leave while the rest simply go through the motions of being a JW and never respond to the constant urgings to do more etc.

Thirdson

RandomTask

Goals are good in the context that Thirdson talks about. If you are going to operate a succesful business, or even if you have projects at your job then goal setiing is extremely important, especially when accompanied by a Gantt chart ;)

blacksheep

Yeah, you're right. It does sound like the simplistic black/white Awake articles. Of course nothing is typically all "good" or all "bad." Well, maybe some things. "Murder, Good or Bad?" sounds stupid, because "murder" is by definition, wrong. Goal setting? I don't think so. In some cases, quite necessary in fact.

So, to suggest setting goals, whatever they are, are intrinsically bad, sounds a bit odd. Yes, of course, taken to the extreme, where it becomes a narrow, rigid course which fails to bend even in the face situations that come up which logically make a change in course wiser (or even necessary), yes they can be "bad." But few people get through life and feel any measure of success without setting and achieving some form of "goal."

larc

I want to thank the four of you for your very thoughtful comments. It is late where I live, and I am ready to go to bed, so I will make some comments on the morrow. Thanks again.

blacksheep

Oh, and btw, taken in the context of spirituality and setting "goals" in terms of hours/publication counting, I think the JW's whole system is a joke. Can you imagine Jesus (or Confucious, or any other great spiritual leader) seriously recommending meticulous reporting the hours you spent in preaching the 'good news"? Right. The whole ludicrous number game is at odds with true spirituality, true Christianity, and true concern for humanity.

That's one of the whole major issues I've had with the JWs since I can remember. It's attempts at "logical" explanations of the bible, and of "faith," and their attempts to run what's supposed to be a spiritual organization like a business are ludicrous. That's why they do ludicrous things.

RandomTask

Blacksheep, you took the words right out of my mouth, its a religion business, its AMWAY!

Jigrigger

: I see this as the major problem of the goals foisted on the average Witness.

I see goals as a good thing if one is setting goals for oneself, and a bad thing if someone else is setting them for you.

Jrig

Is Goal Setting Good Or Bad?

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