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.
Not sure how this would work? Read on!
(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'.)
To begin with you need to be able to see the glinting, glistening, golden idol in front of you. This is your goal, sitting on its stone pedestal. Can you see it? Asking you to reach for it, grab hold of it, claim it as your own? Good.
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 is not the end. You still need to get out of the cave with your goal to realize it. It doesn't count until you are safely back home with the idol. It's usually once you have decided on a goal that everything in your life tries to stop you from achieving 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.
Do you throw them the idol? Well, if you do, you still have to get out of the cave alive, and you no longer achieve anything at the end!
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.
Of course, when you final come out of the cave victorious with your idol, you usually find a large crowd of people waiting with bows and arrows to take you down. Just when it looks like you have made it, people will try to stop you with criticism or backstabbing. So follow Indiana's advice, and always have an exit plan so you can fly off into the sunset and enjoy your achievement.
That is the way I think goals should be dealt with. A lot more exciting and adventurous than being SMART.
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.
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.
Not sure how this would work? Read on!
(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'.)
To begin with you need to be able to see the glinting, glistening, golden idol in front of you. This is your goal, sitting on its stone pedestal. Can you see it? Asking you to reach for it, grab hold of it, claim it as your own? Good.
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 is not the end. You still need to get out of the cave with your goal to realize it. It doesn't count until you are safely back home with the idol. It's usually once you have decided on a goal that everything in your life tries to stop you from achieving 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.
Do you throw them the idol? Well, if you do, you still have to get out of the cave alive, and you no longer achieve anything at the end!
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.
Of course, when you final come out of the cave victorious with your idol, you usually find a large crowd of people waiting with bows and arrows to take you down. Just when it looks like you have made it, people will try to stop you with criticism or backstabbing. So follow Indiana's advice, and always have an exit plan so you can fly off into the sunset and enjoy your achievement.
That is the way I think goals should be dealt with. A lot more exciting and adventurous than being SMART.
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:
This is an extract from Buffy Greentree's exciting new book for writers, The Five Day Writer's Retreat available at Amazon, or for more advice and services for writers, see her website www.thefivedaywriter.com. This article, Get What You Want Out Of Life: Set Exciting Goals has free reprint rights.
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