This week, I have been thinking about goals. Goals are purposeful—goals can be golden. Where would we be today if we didn’t have a purpose or a reason to put our feet on the floor each morning?

A reasonable goal has standards. The acronym SMART is one way to remember how to construct a goal. A goal should be:

Specific (Know the details of what you want.)

Measurable (How will you determine partial or full completion?)

Achievable (Is it truly possible?)

Realistic (Do you have the skills and resources to make it happen?)

Timely (Select a time when you want the goal reached.)

A well-stated goal for this season might be, “By December 6th, I will have the house decorated and cards sent. By the 11th, gifts will be wrapped. Party invitations will be sent by the 13th for a party I’m hosting on December 20th, and I will have the Christmas dinner menu planned and groceries purchased by the 22nd.

It follows the SMART guideline.

Think of a not-so-SMART goal: “We will have a wonderful Christmas without stress and overspending.”

Which one has the better chance of success? I hope you picked the more specific one.

When pondering goals, I realized that some of my life goals might have been short-sided. For example, when writing a book, my goals and process were clear and concise: I wanted to hold a finished book in my hands, but I could have extended the goal to include marketing and distribution.

How about buying a Carnegie Library? I had a complete vision for the buying, preservation, and renovation, but again, I could have considered the long term and included yard maintenance, sales tax, and the strangeness of having strangers sleep in my house.

As I watch my grandkids finish high school and head to college, I see their goals are more long-term because they think about where they want to work and live and what clientele they want. Their goals do not end with the diploma—they have thought through the goal’s who, what, when, why, and where.
Goals can be divided into smaller, more attainable goals. Sometimes, I need more points of achievement to continue the project or the process, and short goals help, but having clear visuals for the end goal is essential.

Imagine a photograph or video of yourself at the very end of your goal. What story will they tell? How do you look, where are you living, what are you wearing, who is around you, what are you saying?

Whatever goals you set, remember the end goal—don’t short-side yourself or your possibilities of success.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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