Before the S.M.A.R.T. Goal
December 15, 2011
It’s around the time of the year that people are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, or the end of the year and everything that entails: financial closings, year end sales, family gatherings. A flavor for every profession and preference.
A few weeks later, we’ll be talking about setting goals or sharing the goals we’ve picked. We might have decided on them as a way to create the new us, to define an aspirational year or just pragmatically, reach new milestones. And much of the time, people will say the best way to set goals is to use the system in which you’re stating Specific, Measurable, Achieveable, Realistic goals with a Timeline. It’s meant to keep one ticking along on the road to success without burning out or slumping over in despair.
That’s totally valid. My goals, once I pick them, are general and then absolutely strategized within an millimeter of any possible parameters.
But I’m having a step before that.
In these weeks before I set goals, I’m spending some time setting Impossible Goals. So named specifically so that it sounds completely unrealistic and totally removes the pressure from my tactical brain that cannot resist immediately analyzing how I have to make it happen.
This is the time to throw utterly preposterous and lofty goals into the air and count really fast as they come floating down, thinking all the while, what else can I do? What else should I do? What else would I do?
If anything were a possibility – before reality strikes, dreaming a dream – what would I want to have done in that year?
Of course I started with money. This morning I told Doggle, “Momma’s gonna increase our Net Worth by 100K.” He was blase.
I told him too, “Dad’s gonna get you a bigger bone if he gets a promotion.” That? He perked up for. SMH. Priorities, Doggle. Mom’s goal gets you health care.
This is the year I get a promotion.
This is the year to shoot for, heck, 100K? Make that 150K NW increase. Be creative. Be really really really creative. (Legally.)
This is the year I hit the supplemental alternative employment route. I want a safety net in case either of us doesn’t love our jobs and career paths anymore, it doesn’t pay enough or we just need a fall back.
This is the year we set ourselves up for buying a home.
This is the year we set ourselves up for getting a second dog, or maybe figure out the kid thing.
Or maybe not.
This is the year I make a difference in someone’s life.
This is the year Doggle learns how to play with another dog. (bwahhaha… he can barely process the toy thing. Ok ok, no mockery.)
This is the year I make progress toward a CFP. And figure out what I’m going to do, really.
