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?
For your major life goals, your method of selecting and setting them should be exciting and depict the life and death nature of it all. So I suggest leaving behind the business strategy, and follow the Indiana Jones method.
How does my little analogy work? Follow me!
(It helps a lot if you have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark. If you haven't, just search on YouTube 'Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Famous Scene'.)
You should first see the goal in front of you like an idol (this is just for illustration purposes, as a Christian I never recommend idolatry, unless you like plagues). Can you see it? Gleaming on its little pedestal asking to be reached? Good. This is your goal, what you want to achieve and take back home.
Next, Indie pulls out the bag of sand that he has been carrying, because you can't just walk off with the idol, you always have to trade it for something. In goal setting, the bag of sand is the everyday resources you will have to give up for your goal, such as time or money. Do you have enough sand to trade for your goal?
You hold your breath as you test out your theory - is there really enough sand there to take the weight of the idol? When you schedule in all the time you will need to spend on your goal, is there enough there? You celebrate when you pull it free - you have just agreed to a goal you believe you can reach.
But wait, that's only the beginning! You still need to escape from the cave together with your goal to realize it. You can only claim the idol if you get it back home, or else you become another skeleton in the cave. And everyone knows it's once you have decided on a goal that everything in your life tries to prevent you from reaching 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).
Someone will suggest throwing them the idol and they will give you the help you need to cross the pit. Maybe it is in exchange for a sensible job, just for a little bit so you can pay the bills.
You can throw them the idol, and struggle to the end of the cave, but then you have gone through almost as much effort, and have nothing to show for it at the end. Trying to win back the idol afterwards is a whole lot harder.
Perhaps you manage to get yourself across the obstacle and keep hold of the idol. Well done. But next comes the giant rolling boulder. Your run as fast as you can, feeling that you are only one step away from disaster. While stressful, just keep in mind that as long as you are running towards the entrance and don't actually get crushed, you'll just achieve your goal faster.
Obviously, when you break free of the cave with your goal, there will always be people who want to cut you down and criticize you. Therefore, think like Indie, have an escape plan set up to enjoy the results of having fully achieved your goal.
That's the way I think goals must be handled. A lot more exciting and adventurous than being SMART about goal setting.
Also, in case you create a goal that isn't worth the sand you are trading for it, or risking your life to cross the pit for, or perhaps dealing with all the tribesmen attempting to kill you, then you definitely haven't really got a good enough goal. Stick with your sand and your day job.
For your major life goals, your method of selecting and setting them should be exciting and depict the life and death nature of it all. So I suggest leaving behind the business strategy, and follow the Indiana Jones method.
How does my little analogy work? Follow me!
(It helps a lot if you have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark. If you haven't, just search on YouTube 'Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark Famous Scene'.)
You should first see the goal in front of you like an idol (this is just for illustration purposes, as a Christian I never recommend idolatry, unless you like plagues). Can you see it? Gleaming on its little pedestal asking to be reached? Good. This is your goal, what you want to achieve and take back home.
Next, Indie pulls out the bag of sand that he has been carrying, because you can't just walk off with the idol, you always have to trade it for something. In goal setting, the bag of sand is the everyday resources you will have to give up for your goal, such as time or money. Do you have enough sand to trade for your goal?
You hold your breath as you test out your theory - is there really enough sand there to take the weight of the idol? When you schedule in all the time you will need to spend on your goal, is there enough there? You celebrate when you pull it free - you have just agreed to a goal you believe you can reach.
But wait, that's only the beginning! You still need to escape from the cave together with your goal to realize it. You can only claim the idol if you get it back home, or else you become another skeleton in the cave. And everyone knows it's once you have decided on a goal that everything in your life tries to prevent you from reaching 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).
Someone will suggest throwing them the idol and they will give you the help you need to cross the pit. Maybe it is in exchange for a sensible job, just for a little bit so you can pay the bills.
You can throw them the idol, and struggle to the end of the cave, but then you have gone through almost as much effort, and have nothing to show for it at the end. Trying to win back the idol afterwards is a whole lot harder.
Perhaps you manage to get yourself across the obstacle and keep hold of the idol. Well done. But next comes the giant rolling boulder. Your run as fast as you can, feeling that you are only one step away from disaster. While stressful, just keep in mind that as long as you are running towards the entrance and don't actually get crushed, you'll just achieve your goal faster.
Obviously, when you break free of the cave with your goal, there will always be people who want to cut you down and criticize you. Therefore, think like Indie, have an escape plan set up to enjoy the results of having fully achieved your goal.
That's the way I think goals must be handled. A lot more exciting and adventurous than being SMART about goal setting.
Also, in case you create a goal that isn't worth the sand you are trading for it, or risking your life to cross the pit for, or perhaps dealing with all the tribesmen attempting to kill you, then you definitely haven't really got a good enough goal. Stick with your sand and your day job.
About the Author:
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