Let's Be Real(istic)

Welcome to part 3 of a 4 part series on goals for the new year. If you missed part 1 and 2, you can read them by clicking here for part 1 and here for part 2.

In this third segment, I want to examine making your goals realistic.

Realistic goals are important because the whole point of setting a goal is the idea of actually achieving it. If you aim for something that is not possible or practical, you set yourself up for unnecessary failure. The art of making sure your goals are realistic is relative to your current reality AND your commitment to having the right attitude and making the right effort to progress towards success.

For example, let's look at this scenario.

I am 5'8" tall. My kids play basketball. I want to be more active with them. I want to use basketball as a way to engage with my kids. Part of that difference between ideal and reality is that I need to improve my own basketball skills in order to have more fun with them. I could decide that I want to be able to dunk a ball within 6 months. However, given my age, experience, and height, dunking a ball is not realistic. On the other hand, with some spaced and interleaved practice (topics for a future post!), I could be better at jump shots or free throws.

A realistic goal will allow me to achieve what I ultimately want to achieve (greater engagement with my kids) while recognizing my limitations and realities. This is why taking a reflective  and systematic approach to setting goals is so powerful. It allows you to consider both the purpose of your goal, the ideal situation, and reality into account. The outcome being a goal that you will more likely stick with and achieve.

In the next post, I examine the final characteristic of well designed goals - flexible.

Be well,

Troy