What Are Your Summer Plans? Write Them Down.
A simple conversation with my kids reminded me why writing goals down still matters.
Summer officially started in our house this week.
The backpacks were emptied. The school routines disappeared almost overnight. Suddenly, we shifted from packed schedules and homework to pool days, vacations, late nights, and figuring out what summer was going to become.
Over the weekend, I sat both of my kids down and asked them to do something simple. I asked each of them to write down at least five things they wanted to accomplish this summer.
The rules were intentionally loose. The goals could be serious, fun, difficult, silly, productive, or completely personal. What mattered most was that they chose them themselves and wrote them down.
That ownership matters.
Goals Don’t Have to Impress Anyone
A couple of their goals immediately stood out to me.
My daughter wants to get comfortable enough in swimming that she can confidently hit the wall, flip, and swim back during practice. If you have ever watched swim season, you know how much repetition and confidence that takes for a kid.
My son wants to watch all of the MCU movies in chronological order over the summer.
Honestly, that is quite an undertaking even for adults.
At first glance, one of those goals sounds more “productive” than the other. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized they are both meaningful in their own way. One is skill development. The other is intentional experience.
That distinction matters more than we often realize.
As adults, we sometimes act like goals only count if they improve our careers, finances, health, or productivity. But intentional fun still counts. Creating experiences on purpose still counts. Pursuing something simply because it interests you still counts.
The goal itself almost matters less than the act of choosing it intentionally.
Intentionality Changes the Experience
Years ago, I set a personal goal to work through the AFI Top 100 Movies list. I did not just randomly stumble across those films on Friday nights while scrolling for something to watch. I approached it intentionally and systematically.
What surprised me afterward was how much more memorable the experience became because I had committed to it.
Movie watching could have easily been passive entertainment. Instead, it became something I looked forward to, learned from, discussed with people, and ultimately completed. There was satisfaction in finishing it because it was intentional. It also took over a year to complete.
That is probably why my son’s MCU goal resonated with me more than I expected.
There is a big difference between drifting through entertainment and deliberately choosing an experience you want to have.
The same principle applies to almost everything else in life.
Why Writing Things Down Still Works
One of the reasons I asked my kids to physically write their goals down is because writing things down changes the relationship you have with them.
A thought becomes a commitment.
Even a loose commitment creates awareness. Once something is written down, you start noticing opportunities to make progress toward it. You remember it. You return to it. You measure against it.
I have written previously about SMART goals and why specificity matters, but even beyond formal frameworks, there is something powerful about simply deciding what you want a season of life to look like.
Without intention, time tends to slip away and we’re left at the end of the summer asking what did we even accomplish.
And summers are especially good at disappearing.
What Do You Want This Summer to Mean?
The older I get, the faster seasons of life seem to move. Summers used to feel endless when we were kids. Now they feel like a blur.
That is probably why this little exercise with my kids stuck with me and I wanted to share it.
I do not want them reaching the end of summer feeling like it simply happened to them. I want them to feel like they participated in it. Built memories inside it. Pursued things they cared about.
Honestly, I think adults need that reminder too.
Right now, my own personal focus is less about some giant milestone and more about consistency. Just continuing to show up consistently for the things I am building and working toward. Different season, different kind of goal.
But the principle is the same.
So here’s my challenge for you this week:
What are your summer plans?
Not the obligations. Not the calendar invites. Not the things that will happen automatically.
What do you actually want to do, experience, learn, build, finish, improve, or enjoy this summer?
Write down five things.
Big or small. Serious or fun. Personal or professional.
Just make them intentional, and then go make this summer mean something.
Enjoy your weekend!