Reaching goals is hard. But setting goals can be hard, too. Especially if you do it right and not haphazardly.

Personal question: Are you a goal-setter? Or does that put too much pressure on you considering everything you already have on your plate? I know people on both sides of the goal setting question. I see and understand the opposition of those that don’t. And trust me, I’m not into the idea of setting “BIG AUDACIOUS GOALS”. I am somewhere in the middle, but I do indeed believe in the need for goals.

My Kind Of Goal

I love setting goals for myself. They are always in the back of my mind. But I would never punish myself over not reaching one, especially if I have tried my hardest OR if the outcome was never in my control to begin with.

I believe that goals are an important way to challenge yourself to do something you haven’t done before. It is a way to create a future finish line that you would like to cross. Telling others of a goal you have can be a way to make yourself accountable to do it or achieve it.

I have both short-term and long-term goals. And these goals are in my control. If I need to dump one, I do. If I need to adjust or lengthen one, I do. The important part is that I keep my eyes on the prize of moving forward toward something I didn’t believe previously possible.

The Short-Term SMART Goal

I’m pretty sure that most of you have heard of SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Running a goal through these standards is a great way to see if it is even possible to obtain.

Want to lose 5 pounds in a month? Well, is that Specific? Yes. Measurable? Again, yes. Attainable? If you work consistently toward it, yes. Relevant? If you want to work on your nutrition then losing 5 pounds is relevant. Is it timely or time-based? Sure. This is a good go-ahead goal.

Want to lose 30 pounds in a month? It most definitely is specific, measurable, relevant, and time-based. But it fails in the attainable department. Losing 30 pounds in a month for most definitely would not be attainable and while it may be achievable by some, it would not be safe for your health.

The Long-Term Goal

I think long-term goals can follow the SMART formula as well, but they have to be approached differently. For these you’ve got to create milestones to reach along the way. As well as many other possible factors to take into account.

Let’s take something like having the goal of hiking the Grand Canyon. Depending on your fitness, you may need to build up your ability to hike that far and long. You’ll need to research the best way to do it, the equipment you need, and the weather you may experience. You may need some warm-up events, hiking in other areas to build up to the biggie. Then there may be other life factors, like finding someone to watch your pets while you attempt the feat.

Long-term goals are doable, but you’ll need to prepare over time to reach them.

Goals You Have No Control Over

Be careful of attempting to set goals for things you have no control over; where anything and everything you do cannot make it happen. This makes me think of goals you have for your children. For me specifically, what if I set a goal to achieve 200K downloads by the end of the year? As much as I would like to set that goal, I have no control over that number or the number of people that will find this podcast and decide to listen to it.

When you think about things you are wanting in your life and consider setting a goal for it to be happy, notice whether you just want them to happen and if it is truly something you can work toward happening.

A Healthy Balance

I think it is very healthy to have a great balance of both short and long-term goals. And I do believe that if you are sincere about the goals that you set, there isn’t any reason why you can’t reach them if you work toward them. And that’s the key, isn’t it?

You can’t set a goal and expect to reach it without putting in the work. No one else can achieve them for you. Other people have their own goals, so you have do your own work. All goals are noble and if someone doesn’t agree with a goal you have realistically set yourself, it’s because they don’t have any of their own. So just ignore them and go get it.

Also check out FNBB 90 – Goals vs. Resolutions

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