2018 first quarter has come to an end, and the year is not so new anymore. How are we with our resolutions, our year long to-do list? I'm pretty sure everyone has at least one goal in mind. Goals guide us to continuously improve our ways and substance as an individual. It is more than just a wishlist; it is a direction in life.
I have noticed trends in goals. Often times, the fire of pursuing goals die down as we go through time. Then during the new year's resolution hype, the fire burns again. Some goals just don't get done. Do you have goals that's been long overdue, from three years past, and re-committed just this year? As shameful as it is, I actually do.
You might be surprised to find that sometimes, the culprit of failed goals is poor planning. It's not you nor your commitment. It's the plan.
I continue to struggle on it for years now. My current goal is simple. I wanted to travel abroad. I have always dreamed of this ever since I was a teenager. I wanted to see how others live their daily lives: from street food to arts to palaces and national costumes. I wanted to define other people’s perception of “my daily boring routine” to realize that that “boring” is something great to others in the hope to relate to mine.
Trust me, this goal of mine had been on for years. How can we ever get rid of these poor attempts? Well, I’ve changed paths. This time around, I decide to be SMART. I decide to follow a path that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. Thus, the acronym SMART. Here is how you can be SMART, as we relate it to my 2018 goal to the road from daydream to reality!
First in the SMART path is to set specific goals. To be specific means to create clear and concise goals. Where do I want to go? What specific country or city do I want to discover? I asked myself these questions to narrow down my goal. Surely, I can’t round the globe in a year’s time (given the few number of zeros in my paycheck). After some me-time, I found answer on the bottom of my tea cup: South Korea. My heart is set to witness the blooming of cherry blossoms in the land of new pop and kimchi!
Next, let us make sure we set measurable goals. To measure or quantify these goals, a target should be set for you to know whether this has been achieved. As for me, I created a mental gantt chart of my timeline for ticket booking, hotel reservations, and my itineraries. Each task brings me closer to achieving this goal. Until then, I should start learning simple annyeonghaseyo phrases!
But one thing we should not forget to question is whether these are attainable. That's the next step. It better be, since we surely want to achieve them. Especially for the year overdue goals (like mine). Setting goals which are beyond your control may be the obvious reason you can't achieve them.
I have always dreamt of travelling abroad with places like Paris and Amsterdam without doubting on language barriers and differences in culture. As a start, I decided to start within the continent with a fairly English speaking country. I also considered the cost of living and availability of tourist assistance. This couldn’t be so bad… could it?
Now that they're specific, measurable and attainable, are those goals relevant to you? Does it bring a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction? Being more dramatic, does it make you a better person?
Seriously speaking, I find travelling as a way to heal my sore soul. It is a humbling experience to walk in busy streets of a foreign land with a different culture and environment. It is humbling to realize how big the world is even by just seeing a small part of it. You realize how small you are in this world.
Lastly, let us keep it time-based. Don't loosen it, guys. Make it challenging but attainable. This final step is what it takes to evolve from planning to actually doing our goal. You don’t have forever.
Since I want to see cherry blossoms on its peak, my target date would be between March and April. Cross fingers on that!
Remember, the SMART path is 5 easy points away! Keep in mind to keep goals specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. The road to achieving your goal leads to the road to a better you. It's time to kick out the manyana habit and start embracing the SMART life!
So watch out for my blog soon, my South Korea travel diaries. I will write about everything you need to know in travelling solo in K Pop-landia.
Do you know what's smarter than this SMART plan? It is to create and begin your SMART goals now. I would love to hear all about it wink!