Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
and a.s.s. stands for
and
seemingly
senseless
I have always hated making goals. That's probably not accurate. What I have really hated was not achieving them. (Of course I have achieved *some* of them.)
Why don't people achieve goals? That's anyone's guess, really. The usual assumption is that those who don't achieve their goals are "just not committed enough." I think that's a cop-out response. How is it possible for anyone to know someone else's level of commitment? Factors outside of ourselves contribute to our ability to achieve goals. For instance, if your goal in 2005 was to have a 10% increase in income each year for the next 10 then you most likely haven't met your goal -- and not for your lack of "commitment."
That said, I do still believe that, as the saying* goes, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars." (The cynic interjects, "also known as the great vacuum of space." Quiet, you!) What I mean is, it's probably worthwhile having goals and working towards them; it's a good way to grow.
I commit to having goals, and working toward them. There must be an optimum way for each person to come up with and focus on his/her goals.
My breakthrough came with an electronic seminar from Learning Strategies, Corp. The course is called "Clear Mind -- Bright Future." My highlights were
- Coming up with more than one goal
- Focusing on what is actually important to me; not a parent organization (I used to work in the corporate world)
- Having permission to re-evaluate and < * gasp * > change a goal. Possibly even postpone it. Or <> (the sound of a cognitive shift occuring without a clutch; thank you for that phrase, Mr. Adams) actually discarding the goal.
- The course made it easy for me to break my goals down into more specific steps.
The course might not be for everyone: It includes imagination exercises.
The part of the course that will probably have the most impact on me was the re-evaluation commentary. In it, we are reminded that a year can be broken into a 6 month period; a 6 month period into monthly periods; a month into weeks; weeks into days... You know that progression. And what is the smallest unit of time? Perhaps it is a moment. What, then, is a moment? A thought. Every goal, then, is a product of each and every thought.
May each of your thoughts, today, bring you closer to your goals.* This quote is attributed to a lot of different people, including Ann O. Nymous. There's even a book by the name. If you happen to know the true source feel free to let me know!
