Blogger: Rachel Kent
Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
I don’t know about you, but each year I set goals for myself. This isn’t usually how I operate personally, but at the agency we like to have something in writing to push us each year.
When the year comes to a close, I’m always surprised with how my year turned out so differently from what I expected. This year has been no exception. I have goals that I set that I have not fulfilled and others that I have, and the year has had its crazy ups and downs like any other.
This week I’d like to share with you some of the goals I set and let you know how I did with them. We’ll hopefully all take away something from the week to help us launch into our 2012 goals. (I realize the year isn’t completely over yet, but this is my last week to write a “normal” blog before the holidays.)
Today I’d like to share a goal that I set that was unrealistic for me, and then I’ll share one that was realistic tomorrow.
Here’s the unrealistic goal. I’ve taken it word-for-word off of my goal list:
“Get caffeine addiction down to tea only. Espresso or coffee only on special occasions.”
Ha! I have no idea what I was even thinking when I wrote this. Unless every day is a special occasion, I have completely failed at achieving this goal. I believe I set myself up for failure when I created this goal. I love tea, but honestly it’s going to take more than just a goal to force me off of coffee. Only pregnancy or an act of God could do the trick. I know this is a silly example of an unrealistic goal, but I do believe it shows how we can set ourselves up for failure.
Thankfully I’m only suffering with a caffeine addiction and not an addiction to something worse. That would completely change the game, and I would need to get help to achieve my goal because failure wouldn’t be an option.
Another somewhat silly goal that would also be unrealistic for me would be: Purchase a million-dollar house with property and start a goat farm.(This wasn’t on my list.)
Perhaps this is something I might like some day–probably not–but it’s an example of an unobtainable, unrealistic goal for 2011. There’s no way I could finance a large house like that right now, and I don’t know much about goats. I could make this into a more reasonable goal by taking it apart, however. I could start with setting a goal to learn about goats and buy a male and two females to hopefully make a profit from my new goat business in the first year. That small goal might lead to a booming goat business that would eventually allow for the mansion with the, at that point, necessary property, but getting ahead of myself won’t help. I’ll just get depressed for failing at my goal rather than be encouraged by the small successes.
I hate failing at things, which I think is why I don’t like setting goals in the first place, and if you are like me, it’s important to set obtainable goals. Push yourself, but make your goal something you can actually get motivated to accomplish. Reaching for the stars is commendable, but if you already know you can’t touch them, then you’re not going to be very motivated to try.
I can tell you right now that the caffeine-reform goal is not going to be achieved by December 31. FAIL!
I look forward to sharing one of my realistic goals with you tomorrow.
Do you set goals each year? Did you set any unrealistic goals for 2011? Share if you feel comfortable!
And something else to think about: How are goals different from dreams?
Happy Un-Birthday to you! Have some coffee!
Rachel, I’m right there with you on the coffee, though I do limit my amounts now. (I make decaf tea, however.)
Goals: Something I try to realistically shoot for with God’s help.
Dreams: Something beyond the scope of the tangible, but completely possible with the One who moves mountains!
Toasting you with a wee bit of coffee… 🙂
Write a novel while NOT fueled by coffee and Red Bull 🙁 (Is there any other way?!)
I’m giggling over the goats. I really am. Your point was well made. I agree with Cynthia’s statement above. As far as coffee, I’ll never put that on a list! 🙂
The idea of a booming goat business is inherently awesome and makes me chuckle.
I used to write down tons of goals for the week, knowing I was shooting high and I’d probably complete about 80% of them. But I became increasingly frustrated when more like 40% were getting check-marked by Friday. It’s because I failed to write down the things on which I spent the majority of my time: laundry, cooking, cleaning, homeschooling, balancing the checkbook, breaking up riots between my children, etc. My goal list that seemed reasonable for a week’s time was really totally out of the question, considering all the off-list things I had to do. So my unrealistic goals were unrealistic not because of what they were, but simply because there are only 24 hours in a day!
Instead, I now make “to-do” lists, first filling in all the things I must do, then going back and adding daily goals that fit in realistically with the rest of my list. Example: If my son has a day filled with doctors’ appointments, it’s not realistic that I’ll clean out my closet that day. But it is realistic that I’ll get to write some blog posts, or a magazine article, or maybe a big chunk of my latest ms. I have to do something in all those waiting rooms, and that’s why laptops were invented. 🙂
P.S. I had to give up espresso several years ago when it started giving me heart palpitations. Yikes! I’m now a deeply devoted tea-lover. It can be done, but if you don’t HAVE to give it up, just enjoy your delicious coffee! Drink one for me, while you’re at it. 😉
Ha!! I wouldn’t even attempt to give up coffee at this point. But I will drink it decaffeinated and, oddly enough, I don’t notice the difference. So I figured I might as well drink it either way, right? Caffeine, no caffeine? No?
I do set goals–business goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, daily goals. I have an ongoing goal to stay at my happy weight, and sometimes I’m at the happy weight and sometimes I’m not. 🙂
Overall, I’m like you–I don’t set unrealistic goals (very often!), and I try to stay laid-back about them.
Loved this post. It made me laugh!
My unrealistic goal this year: exercise six days a week. Eeek!
Thanks for the post, Rachel.
Thanks for the comments! Cynthia, that’s exactly how I would define goals and dreams. Thanks for putting the definitions into the right words.
Like Lindsay, I had to give up caffeine because of heart palpitations. When my doctor asked how much I drank–“Three? Four cups a day?”–and I had to confess more like six or eight, that was it. No problems since, but a lot of decaf. I refused to give up chocolate, however, even if it does have caffeine.
One of my goals for this year was to finish revising my dissertation. I still might make it, but it will mean putting everything else on hold — including reading your blog!
Funny post!!! I also had tea on my goal list, but it’s replacing diet cola – and I’ve been successful. However, I desperately need the rude shock of coffee-based caffeine in the morning or I’d never accomplish any of my other goals 🙂
I do not have anything resembling goats on my list, nor do I plan to add them 🙂
This made me laugh. I chucked goals out the window this year in favour of something that suited me better. Check out . This explanation is taken straight from the website:
“The challenge is simple: lose the long list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick ONE WORD. This process provides clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. One word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future.”
I prayed about my one word for 2011 and God gave me the word “Connected”. It gave me a focus, helped me sort my priorities, and turned out to be divinely appropriate for this season of my life. I think there’s real power in this concept.
Okay, it didn’t like my link, so just Google “my one word.” It’s turned into quite a phenomenon.
Great post, Rachel. I’ve always been a goals driven person. I’ve learned to apply the S.M.A.R.T. method to my goal setting, so I usually create goals that are challenging, yet attainable. That said, time slips away and writing time can end up being anything but that.
For 2011, I set four goals–one of which I doubted would happen, but it’s still something I don’t want to forget. I achieved one goal and ended up with a book contract out of it. I am close on two others, and the one I doubted would happen, didn’t. Even if I don’t complete the other two, I feel the year has been successful, as I’ve written more than ever before.
Thanks for getting me in the mood to review my goals.