By CHRIS IRISH
Scottsdale Leadership Executive Director
Happy New Year! The start of the year is the perfect time to set goals for that year, the decade and possibly even your lifetime. I’m not referring to career or personal goals; I’d like to challenge you to set goals for your community service.
Most people don’t set goals for their community service, but we should. Goals motivate and inspire us; they make our achievements more meaningful. While the process for setting these goals will be similar to how you establish your career goals, it can be much more impactful!
First, make yourself FEEL…what are you passionate about, what tugs on your heart strings? Is it hunger, homelessness, illiteracy, or racism? Obesity, addiction, or domestic violence? Perhaps your interests deal more with improving the quality of life for the community as a whole. Are you concerned about … transportation, blight, preservation, arts & culture?
Second, BRAINSTORM… most likely there is already an organization, commission or other entity working to address your issue. Talk with their key leaders about how you could effectively expand or improve their efforts. If you are already involved with this issue, get clear about what role you need to play to make a bigger impact.
Finally, SET GOALS for your community service. Clearly identify the steps you will take to meet these goals. Set specific tasks to be completed. Be realistic in what can be achieved.
Community service gives meaning to our life. Having goals will keep you on track, increase your achievements and enable you to celebrate your accomplishments! Get started today.
The Scottsdale Leader 
Thank you for the reminder Chris! I have been involved in community service all my life but the part that I relate to above is “getting clear on what role you need to play to make a bigger impact.” For years I participated on committees and handled projects as a groupie, doing what needed doing. But over time I realized that the accomplishments were greater when we were strategic about the role each of us played, obviously using our resources more effectively. Community service for me is very personal but once I started managing my goals the way I do in business my purpose became so much clearer and more meaningful!