I suck at setting SMART goals.
Shocking! I know.
And considering that I help people set goals and create meaningful lives, this might be concerning.
WHAT? Why would you even listen to me then?
I suck at setting SMART goals because I find them ineffective. I think they are SMALL goals.
I don’t think anything inspired and audacious has ever been created by being “realistic” about it. “Realistic” and “measurable” goals rarely spark imagination and the necessary human drive to accomplish greatness.
You can create small, tangible, and mediocre dreams at best. And there is nothing wrong with that either. Maybe that is enough for you.
However, if you are like me, that will never be good enough. You have great dreams and high aspirations.
Maybe you want to create a life you love — a life that is meaningful, fulfilling to you, which is a very personal choice. We all want different things.
I do believe we all want to feel like our lives matter. I want you to have a life that is exciting, rich, and fulfilling.
So what should you do when you want to create from a place that feels aligned with what is important to you, is connected to your sense of purpose?
How can you do this? You can do what I do. I map out: My Vibe, My Tribe, My Activities, and My Endeavors.
MY VIBE
My vibe is my mission. It’s who I want to be. My purpose. How I want to show up for myself and for other people in my life. It’s the energy and attitude I want to bring into a room, to a relationship, and to any situation. By checking in with my vibe, I know how I feel about my life.
For example, I want to feel energized, excited, motivated, and healthy every single day. It’s why I only eat certain things and sleep an adequate amount of time. It’s why I take good care of myself and practice yoga and meditation. It helps me generate a level of uplifting energy I can then give to people in my life and my work. I want to lead from a place of infectious enthusiasm for life and all its possibilities.
So get to know yourself. Find out what you want out of life and why. Build your vibe and mission from there.
MY TRIBE
They are the ones that help me thrive (or hold me back). I have a mixture of trusted advisors, life enthusiasts, motivators, collaborators, and skeptics in my life. My vibe is what attracts my tribe. Whatever I set out to be is what I will bring in.
You might have to ask yourself what relationships no longer serve you. It’s time to get clear. Where do you spend your time? With whom? How? And why?
Do you have energy vampires in your life? Are you allowing them to weigh you down, distract you, or even guilt trip you into things you know are not in line with your integrity?
Or…
It might be time to clear your social calendar! Stop committing to stuff and people not inline with who you want be and where you want to go.
THE ACTIVITIES
Do you have daily habits and maybe even your weekly, monthly, and yearly frameworks in which you can grow? What are the activities you spend all your time on?
I had to learn to take ownership of how I spend my time and create frameworks of self reflection, prioritization, and scheduling based on my vibe and my tribe.
Every day I try to have 3 things:
- Activities for the day
- People you are waiting on or need to reach out to
- Priorities I want to do and complete no matter what
MY ENDEAVORS:
I map out on a regular basis WHAT exactly I want to LEARN, EXPERIENCE, GAIN, and CREATE. Then I evaluate WHY I want to do these things.
I look at the time I need to invest, the money I will need to pull it off, and the energy it will take to put into it. This gives me clarity to gauge if it’s in proportion with the ROI, the value it will bring to my life, the potential for personal growth, and the lifestyle I desire to have.
Lastly, I take each and ask myself these five basic questions:
- What do I already have to make this happen?
- What do I need for this to happen?
- Who do I know who can help me make this happen?
- What can I learn along the way?
- And how do I feel about it?
If by any chance at the end of this I no longer feel excited about it, I let myself off the hook and look for other opportunities.
Anything that’s inspired and audacious depends on you being able to spark the necessary human drive to get you there. It may push and test you. Expect to be challenged.
That’s why I want you to choose what you want to do wisely. Make sure you pick the opportunities you can love even on the worst days.
So it’s not complicated. Just, get clear before you launch into action.
Want me to help you map out your life? Click here and head over to my website to learn more about me at www.silviachristmann.com!
Originally published at medium.com