The Most Important Goal
Having a plan is important. Setting goals and then meeting them is essential to living the life of your dreams. But more important than any of that are people.
Winning can be intoxicating. There is a thrill that comes with being able to check a goal off the list. Have you met the guy who, at forty-five, still talks about how great he was as a high-school football player? He remembers what it felt like to win at football, to achieve the goal of out-performing another team. Now he refuses to think of anything else.
I remember the first time I followed through on a budget. I looked back on those thirty days knowing I had achieved everything I set out to and I was at a better place financially because of it. I had won. It was a sweet sensation.
Those first Microsoft investors know what I mean. So do the upcoming champs of the 2011 Super Bowl. If you have ever won at anything you can relate. But even though a focus on winning is important, we can never forget about people. If you do something only to win, you have lost before you start.
There is a Southwest pilot who held a flight for twelve minutes so one man could see his grandson (a must read article). The couple learned their grandson had been murdered and that their daughter was taking him off life support at 9pm the next day. After a night of frantically setting up flights the boy’s grandfather, Mark, showed up at LAX to board a flight that would allow him to see his grandson one last time. The lines were horrible and neither the ticket agents nor the TSA employees cared to listen to his plight. He was going to be miss his flight.When he finally made it through security he ran to the check-in desk. To his amazement, even though he was very late, the door was open and the agents were waiting for him.
There is always time for those in need
“Are you Mark? We held the plane for you and we’re so sorry about the loss of your grandson.” The anonymous pilot held a plane full of passengers so that Mark could see his son. The pilot is reported to have told Mark, “They can’t go anywhere without me and I wasn’t going anywhere without you.”
What an amazing story! Take a second to think of the consequences for the pilot. As one airline blogger put it, “Twelve minutes may not sound like a lot to you or me, but every second counts when you’re an airline. Southwest can turn an entire plane around in about 20 minutes, so 12 minutes is half an eternity.”
The pilot may have been chewed out by someone (not least of all the other passengers). He could have easily justified leaving on time for business reasons (his decision would mess up other flights). Instead, he realized that Mark seeing his grandson was more important than leaving on time.
I want you to achieve your dreams. I want you to make a list of goals and see them all checked off one by one. I want you to build a business, to raise a family, to travel the world, to achieve whatever it is your heart desires. But as you see opportunities to check off goals, never do it at the expense of someone else.
People are why we do this. You are why I do this.
Brandon (132)
Loren Pinilis (109)
Mike Luna (103)
ixnayonthetimmay (83)
Dustin (78)
moe (63)
Don Sartain (59)
Pastor Matt (36)
JeniferR (30)
Adam (20)
“…still talks about how great he was as a high-school football player?” — like Uncle Rico from Napolean Dynamite?
What an amazing story re: the pilot! Thanks for sharing that.
I thought of Uncle Rico too! But I didn’t want to name him…lol.
That article inspired me so much. I have been getting caught up in a lot of things that don’t matter recently and leaving my loved ones behind. It was a major wake up call!
Very nice!
*I did want to ask you… I just set up a Feedburner for my website. I tested it out with subscribing from my email, and it says that this feed has not yet enabled email. I thought I did, but it keeps saying that. How do you enable the email?
PS– I have set it up. Even included the code form on my side bar…just keeps saying that I haven’t activated the email???
No a problem:
1) Go to your feedburner account. Click on “Publicize.“
2) On the left column click “Email Subscription“
3) Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click “activate”
That’s it! You will be good to go from then on!
Hope this helps
Thanks! Hopefully, it will work this time!
Did you get it to work?
First time reader, first time commenter. That was a great story with a great application.
Isn’t that why 1 Corinthians 13 says that it doesn’t matter what gift you have, if love doesn’t come wrapped in it, it’s useless. To this pilot, he saw this man as the most important part of his day. Not the schedule, not anything. Amazing!
Thanks for sharing.
I am glad you enjoyed it so much!
I am continually amazed by Southwest Airlines. Stories like this are so common with them!
Alex,
I, too, am a first-time reader and commenter. I followed Dustin and Moe over here. I am glad I did. These guys have good taste.
I immensely enjoyed this posting. I laughed to myself because in prayer with others I tell them, “This is the most important thing in your life right now. Nothing else matters. Time is standing still, just for you, so you can talk with our Father.”
This pilot…wow! What character! What resolve! What…love. Yes. Love. How else could his actions be explained?
Great posting, Alex. Again, I am glad I stopped by.
Thank YOU so much for stopping by! I am so glad that God has used this post to speak to you.
I really like your quote, “This is the most important thing in your life right now. Nothing else matters. Time is standing still, just for you, so you can talk with our Father.” I see so many people focused on what is coming or what has already come, it is good to remember that right now is the most important time.
Alex,
Thanks for the liking of my words. I like to think now and again I can say something worthwhile!
I’ll be venturing into your archives as time allows. Please feel welcome at my blog, but call me first if you are coming to visit. I’ll cook us up some pasta with home-made sauce. LOL!
Blessings and power, brother.
This has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but…I think I’m learning that the best days aren’t the ones where everything comes easy, but when everything is a grind.
I may have to steal that one. It reminds me of Ecclesiastes 7:3–4
Mike,
I was going to quote the infamous 1 Corinthians passages about God enabling us to make it through bad times, but…
this one seems better. Hope it encourages your learning.
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Proverbs 24:16