The Tribune

NOW that Christmas is behind us, attention has turned to New Year’s Day. The closing of one calendar year and the opening of another provides what seems like the perfect hinge point — a time to review the past and make plans for the future. It is easy, with a full year ahead — 365 days or blank slates — to get carried away, overcommitting ourselves to huge, sometimes nearly impossible, transformations. Changes in saving and spending habits, educational advancement, fitness benchmarks, and nutritional rules are common items on the end/start of year lists. It is exciting to embark on new adventures, but it can also be overwhelming to try to make too many changes at once.

Incremental changes are less exciting. Realistic changes can be a bit uninspiring as well. Many people would prefer to aim for $10,000 in savings for the year — even if reaching it would require a third job or the amount seems so unreachable that they are unwilling to make small steps, ending in a rush in the last month or two of the year — than to think about what is possible every week, or even every month, and use that as a starting point for setting the goal for the year.

Setting goals requires responsibility, not only to work toward them, but to set them in ways that make them possible. It is the possibility that really keeps us motivated. It is the belief that we can actually do what we have set out to do.

A few weeks ago, I participated in a programme that included a session on strategic planning. In the session, the facilitator, of course, references SMART goals. Goals should be specific, so we know exactly what we are working toward. A SMART goal, for example, is not to “save more money,” but to “save 20% more money than last year,” or to “save $500.” Goals should be measurable, so we can see how we are doing along the way. We need to see in July that we have saved $200, and that we need to save more in the second half of the year to reach the goal. They should be achievable/attainable, so we know we can reach them. A goal to save $500 when we only make enough money to save $200 and a side gig would only bring in an extra $100 is not a realistic goal. We need to assess our current situation and make projections in order to determine what is possible.

Goals also need to be relevant, so they align with what we want for ourselves. If we want to take the last two classes needed to complete a degree, and it will require a change in spending, it may not be possible to, in the same year, save $500. Perhaps saving $500 would make it possible to take the last two classes. It is all about how these goals interact and what we want to accomplish within the timeline. SMART goals are also time-bound. There is a date by which we want to reach the goal. It is not just floating goals that we carry from one year to the next.

The facilitator of the strategic planning session then challenged the “A” in SMART goals. He asked us what it would look like to set a goal that is ambitious rather than attainable. People in the room, of course, had different opinions. No one wanted to set themselves up for failure. People set goals to meet them, not to show off their ambition and later fail to reach them. Or do they?

The idea of the ambitious goal is not to replace the attainable goal, but to push us a little further. We may be quite certain that we can save $500. Maybe that is easy, especially when we consider that we need to save a little more than $10 per week if we can to reach that goal in one year. Saving $15 per week would be more of a challenge. It may be possible, but we know that it would be hard to do. In this case, we may decide to set $500 as the goal for achievability, but have $700 as the stretch goal. Having the ambitious goal, making it a bit of a stretch, gives us more road to run. With that higher number in mind, we are more likely to meet the attainable goal.

I have seen many people set high goals for reading books. While reading scores of books in a year is not a goal that I find particularly appealing, I have come to realize that such goals may be a part of what keeps people reading and helps people to develop the habit of reading in the first place. A long-time lover of books, I do not count the books I read, but I enjoy them and I know that the number is “up there.” In the age of social media and sharing just about everything, it is fun to brag about what we are doing, especially if we imagine that others are not doing the same. Being able to say, “I read eight books this month,” in a post with a photo of the stack of books could be motivating, especially when people make comments expressing their awe and asking how that is even possible. The person then has momentum and a little extra motivation to try to read another eight books in the next month.

For some, the stretch goal is the key. In January, they make the announcement that this is the year they will read 100 books. It is exciting, it is impressive, and it may even convince others to do it, or even start a competition. They now need to read, on average, two books per week. They may pick out the first five books, ask people for recommendations, buy or borrow some of the bestselling books from the previous year, read along with their teenage children, join a book club or two, get into audiobooks, schedule reading time every day, and/or start a book blog. They may not get to 100 books since every week is not the same and unexpected things are sure to happen, but even if they reach 80 books, they got to more than they would have if they had not set the ambitious (if not attainable) goal of 100 books in a year.

Being realistic is great. We all want to be able to reach our goals. That said, what is a goal if not a challenge? This is a good time to push ourselves. Think about attainable versus ambitious, and remember that it does not have to be either/or. You can set a minimum for yourself while pushing yourself toward the higher goal. One of the important notes from the facilitator of the strategic planning session was that no one else needs to know about the ambitious goal. The goals you set are for you. You may decide to share them with others, but they do not need to know your stretch goals. You can choose to share the attainable version, and leave them to be impressed when you reach or surpass it.

One of the pieces that is often missing from goal setting is community. Think about who you would like to have in your audience as you work toward your goals. The Negative Nancy probably would not be of much help unless you are particularly driven by that kind of energy and being able to prove people wrong. Find a supportive person, and let them know how they can help. That may be checking in with you every week, gently calling you in when you get off track, rewarding you as you meet benchmarks, or generally being a great, consistent cheerleader. Working toward goals can sometimes require shifts in life, like spending time and money in different ways. Who is going to be supportive? Who is likely to be a problem? How will you handle it? Be sure to think about all of the implications of your goals and what you will need to do to achieve them. It is always a bit easier when you can anticipate the shenanigans so you can plan responses rather than being caught off guard.

As you work toward your goals, find a way to record your progress. This does not need to be an app or a full journal. It could be a list of dates where you write what went well and what did not go so well. At the end of the year, it can be helpful to take a look at what made the good days good and what made the bad days bad. Did you spend more money when you were sad? Did you miss reading times because of those migraines during a particular season? Tracking habits, health, mood, and other points can help you to plan for the next year. Sure, you can read two books per week, but not in April when you have sinus issues, so you may be down five books that month. Adjust the next year’s goal accordingly!

Set those goals, be realistic, and give yourself a little stretch. Find people to share the goals with, to keep you motivated, and to celebrate the wins. Record your experiences. Honour the changing seasons and personal needs that come throughout the year. Every year is a bit of a trial run for the next. Make 2024 a year of positive movement, and remember that 2025 is coming too.