Success Key: S.M.A.R.T. Goal Achievement Method – Part 5
Whether or not your Goal is attainable is a direct function of variables that depend on YOU. Whether or not your Goal is realistic, on the other hand, does not necessarily depend on you, but rather, whether or not your Goal can be achieved in accordance with Universal Laws. Whether a Goal is realistic is simply another way of stating whether the Goal is possible as a matter of Universal or God's Laws. If it is NOT possible as a matter of Universal Law, then it is NOT realistic. All things must comply with God’s Laws. The Universe must comply with God’s Laws.
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Success Key: S.M.A.R.T. Goal Achievement Method – Part 5: REALISTIC
In our last post on the S.M.A.R.T Goal Achievement Method, we discussed the “A” element – “Attainable” – and distinguished between “Attainable” and “Realistic,” which, at first glance, seemingly mean the same thing.
As we pointed out, in this sense, Attainable means that you have (or will develop) the attitudes, abilities and definite plans for attaining your Goal. The emphasis here is on the “definite plan” portion. You cannot attain a Goal or achieve Success without Definiteness of Purpose and Definiteness of Plan.
Today, we will take up discussion of the “R” element of S.M.A.R.T: “Realistic.”
In case you don’t remember, with regard to the S.M.A.R.T Goal Achievement Method, SMART stands for:
The Realistic element of SMART may be the easiest to explain and comprehend. However, it is also critically important in the SMART Goal Achievement process – as much so as the other elements – since, as they say, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
The key here, obviously, is that your Goal must be “realistic” – realistic in the sense that it can be achieved. This, as we pointed out last time, is different than the inquiry as to whether it is attainable. For whether or not your Goal is attainable is a direct function of variables that depend on YOU. Whether or not your Goal is realistic, on the other hand, does not necessarily depend on you, but rather, whether or not your Goal can be achieved in accordance with Universal Laws.
Let’s exaggerate a hypothetical fact pattern to demonstrate our point.
In this example, suppose that you have three young children and live in a home with a large backyard, but there is nothing in the backyard for the kids to play with. Your Goal is to build a tire swing on a long rope hanging from a large tree for your children to play with – just like you had when you were young. In fact, vivid images of a tire swing hanging from the sturdy limb of a 40 foot oak tree in the middle of your childhood backyard are impressed in your memory. It seems like only yesterday . . . How nice it would be for your children to experience something similar!
The Success Manual Tire Swing: How Realistic?
The problem is that there is no 40 foot oak tree in your present back yard. So, you decide to grow one. You find an acorn and plant it in the middle of the backyard in good organic garden soil and water it. In the morning – you decide – you will have your 40 foot oak tree and then you can attach a swing to it for your children. You have even drawn plans for building the swing, purchased rope and other supplies, and secured an old, but sturdy, truck tire. The weather forecast is exceptional and you have set aside the entire day for the project. You will go to bed early, get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast in the early morning. Everything is all set.
Realistic? Of course not. As much as you Desire the result, it probably isn’t going to happen. And, it isn’t going to happen because you are not working with God’s Laws. Indeed, you are working against Universal Laws (or at least attempting to), the most obvious of which is the Law of Gestation: every seed – whether that of a biological species or an idea (in this case, both) – has a period of gestation in accordance with the Universal Law of Gestation. That acorn simply will not grow into a 40 foot oak tree overnight – no matter how strong your Desire. It is not realistic.
Whether a Goal is realistic is simply another way of stating whether the Goal is possible as a matter of Universal Law. If it is NOT possible as a matter of Universal Law, then it is NOT realistic. All things must comply with God’s Laws. The Universe must comply with God’s Laws. (As to the element of “Faith” and its impact on attempting to grow a 40 foot oak tree overnight, we’ll leave that topic for another day :-D)
Additionally, whether or not a Goal is realistic, i.e., whether it can be achieved as a matter of Universal Law, is usually not as obvious as our oak tree example. By and large, the issue is significantly more subtle, thereby requiring focused discernment.
Moreover, caution is required so as to not confuse “realistic” with “possible.” Often times, the lines blur. For example, suppose you are registered to run the New York City Marathon (26+ miles). The problem is that you have never run a marathon in your life. In fact, you have never run a race in your life and you have only been training 3 weeks and the race is tomorrow. Is it realistic for you to expect to finish the race? Is it possible for you to finish the race? What’s the difference?
The answers to each question are likely different for each person. The bottom line is that whether or not you are able to finish the race will depend on whether or not it is realistic in your specific circumstance. For some – a very, very select few I would imagine – it may be realistic. For most, I would suspect, it probably is not realistic that they will finish the race under these circumstances – unless they walk most of the course. I think we would all agree that finishing the race without any assistance for a one-year old child just learning to take her first steps is not realistic.
A goal may be realistic, but it is up to YOU to make it possible. Going back to our 40 foot oak tree, if your Goal is to have a tire swing for your grandchildren, planting an acorn today to grow a suitable tree that will be ready 25 years from now may well be realistic. Whether or not it is possible depends on a number of factors, the most basic of which is whether or not you actually take action and plant the acorn. If you do, then “possibility” is greatly enhanced.
All Goals MUST be realistic if you expect to achieve them. Ask yourself, “Can this Goal be achieved in accordance with God’s Laws?” If the answer is “yes,” then the Goal is Realistic.
Now, it’s up to you to make it possible. Possibility is a State of Mind.
Happy planting.
Peace Out, and, of course - Namasté!
To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,
The Success Manual Team
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