Why family and friend relationship goals?

Out of all the 10 Goal Areas, relationship goals with family and friends are arguably one of the most important areas.  We are all social beings and can only thrive and survive with close relationships with our friends and family. Our very existence depends upon on it and, as we reach our later years in life, having people who love us is all that we care about.  

Much of whom we become is shaped by our family beginnings and by our close social circle that we associate with.  There are numerous family goals and friend goals that could be established in this area.  

I’ve selected life goals that mainly relate to being a good friend or family member, something that you can’t take for granted.   It is important that we treat those closest to us as the most important people in our lives.

These 10 Relationship Goals are essential to a good life

Click on each of these 10 relationship life goals to see how you can make a positive impact in your life!

21 - Choose good friends

22 - Choose your life partner

23 - Treat your partner as a VIP

24 - Go out on regular date nights 

25 - Learn how to be a good parent

26 - Be there for your children

27 - Have regular family meetings

28 - Establish annual family traditions

29 - Be a good friend

30 - Be a good son, daughter, sibling

Take the time to really think about these key relationship goals and ask yourself if you are putting everything you can into have the best relationships possible.  It is so easy to neglect this vitally important area of your life.  This area is one of the biggest regrets people have towards the end of their life if they have not maintained these vital relationships.  

Read through the above 10 recommended list of friend and family life goals and rate how you are doing in each of these categories. You might be suprised with the results.  

These were our friends and family who gathered on the occasion of my 50th birthday to help celebrate. When planning your relationship goals, think about all the important people in your life.

Other things you can do that will have a big impact in your family and friend relationships

Take this one step further and take specific steps to improve your key relationships.    

Examples of things you could do include:

  • Decide you will invest more time into maintaining the relationship
  • Come up with ideas on how to enjoy time together choosing an activity that is of interest to each of you.  
  • Have meaningful conversations with each other instead of just casual conversations
  • Develop and really work at your listening skills so that you are truly communicating
  • Plan a weekly, monthly or annual tradition that celebrates the very relationship you are working to maintain and develop.

Maintaining and improving relationship of all types takes serious work, but it is important.  Don't take shortcuts.  It's so important that these friend and family relationship goals were carefully designed to ensure the key people in your life are valued highly. The last thing we want is to end up at the end of our life where we realize too late that this should have been more of a priority.  

As with all of my 100 recommended life goals, adopt, modify or change these 10 relationship goals about friends and family to make them your own.

80 year Harvard study says that good relationships are key to health and happiness!

More than 80 years ago, scientists began tracking the health and happiness of 268 Harvard sophomores in 1938.  

The objective of the study was to look for clues to leading happy and healthy lives. 

This was and continues to be one of the world's longest study on aging and continues to this day. 

The results of this study is perfectly summarized in the TED TALK by Robert Waldinger entitled (click on link to YouTube video below)

What makes a good life? Lessons from the lowest study on happiness | Robert Waldinger.

After researching hundreds of men and women from all walks of life throughout the course of their lives, it has been discovered that the QUALITY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS with the important people in your life are far more important than your career and your financial position in life, even though most people think that money and fame are most important. 

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Check out life goals that they don't teach you at school!

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Last Updated:  April 4, 2020