There is a lot of information out there about how to set good goals. And for unknown reasons a lot of that information sets my teeth completely on edge. Yes, I know they should be 'Specific - Measurable - Attainable - Realistic - Timely' (aka SMART), but who wants to be smart when setting goals? Where is the fun in that?
I think goal setting, at least the big, end goals, should be exciting and reflect the life and death nature of it all. So, I think they should be more like an Indiana Jones movie than a business plan.
How does my little analogy work? Follow me!
(To follow this it is useful to have watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, but if you haven't, just go to YouTube and search for 'Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Famous Scene'.)
Your goal is like the golden idol in the cave. The scene starts with you first beholding the idol on its pedestal and trying to work out how to bring it back home. Can you see it? Gleaming on its little pedestal asking to be reached? Awesome.
However, you cannot just grab the idol and walk off, it always comes at a cost. Like Indiana, you need a bag of sand the same weight as the idol so you don't set off the alarm system. For you the bag of sand will be the everyday resources you will need to give. This might be money or time spent watching TV. How heavy is your idol? You need to calculate whether you have enough sand to swap for it.
Holding your breath you ease the goal off in exchange for the sand. It comes free and the cave has not come crashing down. Congratulations! You have just found a goal you can commit to.
But wait! That's not the end. You still need to escape from the cave together with your goal to achieve it. You're not safe and sound until you get it back home. And once you have decided on a goal, that's when life makes it hard to achieve it.
You start running. Then comes your first pit with stakes or snakes (not snacks as I originally wrote, unless tempting snacks are likely to distract you from your goal... hmmm, snacks).
Some helpful person says you should throw them the idol and they will give you the mundane life item to get you across this barrier.
What do you do? Indiana threw them the idol, only to find they then ran off leaving him. For you, it is more likely that you will get the help you need, but at the cost of having to start all over again back in the cave with your goal. Only now you are a bit older and wearier.
If you are brave, you manage to get over the obstacle while still keeping your goal. However, next comes the giant rolling boulder. While things might push you to go faster than you feel comfortable doing, and you always seem to be one step ahead of disaster - as long as you are running towards the entrance, you're making it!
Of course, when you break out with your goal, there will be a thousand people pointing arrows and spears of criticism that want to cut you down to size, so it is always best to have an escape plan such as your own plane that you can fly off and enjoy your achievement.
That is the way I think goals should be handled. So much more exciting and adventurous than being SMART.
The final thing this model teaches us is that if your goal is not worth the sand you are trading it for, or you are not prepared to jump across pits of stakes for it, then it's not a very good goal. Stick with your sand and your day job.
I think goal setting, at least the big, end goals, should be exciting and reflect the life and death nature of it all. So, I think they should be more like an Indiana Jones movie than a business plan.
How does my little analogy work? Follow me!
(To follow this it is useful to have watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, but if you haven't, just go to YouTube and search for 'Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Famous Scene'.)
Your goal is like the golden idol in the cave. The scene starts with you first beholding the idol on its pedestal and trying to work out how to bring it back home. Can you see it? Gleaming on its little pedestal asking to be reached? Awesome.
However, you cannot just grab the idol and walk off, it always comes at a cost. Like Indiana, you need a bag of sand the same weight as the idol so you don't set off the alarm system. For you the bag of sand will be the everyday resources you will need to give. This might be money or time spent watching TV. How heavy is your idol? You need to calculate whether you have enough sand to swap for it.
Holding your breath you ease the goal off in exchange for the sand. It comes free and the cave has not come crashing down. Congratulations! You have just found a goal you can commit to.
But wait! That's not the end. You still need to escape from the cave together with your goal to achieve it. You're not safe and sound until you get it back home. And once you have decided on a goal, that's when life makes it hard to achieve it.
You start running. Then comes your first pit with stakes or snakes (not snacks as I originally wrote, unless tempting snacks are likely to distract you from your goal... hmmm, snacks).
Some helpful person says you should throw them the idol and they will give you the mundane life item to get you across this barrier.
What do you do? Indiana threw them the idol, only to find they then ran off leaving him. For you, it is more likely that you will get the help you need, but at the cost of having to start all over again back in the cave with your goal. Only now you are a bit older and wearier.
If you are brave, you manage to get over the obstacle while still keeping your goal. However, next comes the giant rolling boulder. While things might push you to go faster than you feel comfortable doing, and you always seem to be one step ahead of disaster - as long as you are running towards the entrance, you're making it!
Of course, when you break out with your goal, there will be a thousand people pointing arrows and spears of criticism that want to cut you down to size, so it is always best to have an escape plan such as your own plane that you can fly off and enjoy your achievement.
That is the way I think goals should be handled. So much more exciting and adventurous than being SMART.
The final thing this model teaches us is that if your goal is not worth the sand you are trading it for, or you are not prepared to jump across pits of stakes for it, then it's not a very good goal. Stick with your sand and your day job.
About the Author:
This and other great tips for managing your life can be found in Buffy Greentree's new book The Five Day Writer's Retreat on Amazon. Or visit www.thefivedaywriter.com for more books, workshops and services for becoming a published writer.
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