My adult son Robert has said to me more than once, "Dad, whatever someone says, you always take the opposite side." He has had 31 years to figure this out, so I see no point in taking the opposite side—for once. At the end of this email, you can write back and tell me if you agree.
I'm occasionally a slight bit annoyed by SMART goals. I find people generally set goals like they live the rest of life, and if you keep doing the same thing, why would you expect different results? The people who talk about SMART goals always seem to be the people who already do this, making me wonder if they are almost saying, "Here's one more thing I do a little bit better."
SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. Those all sound like pretty good things. I've certainly seen plenty of goals that weren't some of those, too. Here's the first article I came up with on Google: https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/smarter-goals-setting.
But how different would it be if we came up with STUPID goals? Maybe not so much.
My dad always liked acronyms. He often made them during sermons, whether or not he was the preacher. So in honor of Father's Day, and to prove my son right, here's my acronym for STUPID goals:
· Simple: Goals should be simple. Complicated goals quickly become irrelevant. Just keep it simple.
· Tantalizing: A goal should be attractive, in a way that encourages me to pursue it.
· Understated: The whole point of goals is to reach them. Sandbagging, the fine art of making a goal easily exceeded, is a glorious tradition among people managed by SMART expectations.
· Pleasurable: Goals should be more pleasurable than painful. People who pursue pain are not happy people, and they're not fun coworkers. Pain finds us, we don't need to make it a goal. Of course, there's something to be said for getting there, as in Hebrews 12:12, but even that verse does have a goal in the second half.
· Interesting: If a goal does not hold our attention, it won't make much of a difference in the subsequent competition for mindspace. I think a goal should also be idiocentric, meaning it is particularly related to the uniqueness of who we are.
· Dicey: Are we picking dicey goals? Dicey, as in unpredictable and potentially dangerous? Goals should have some risk—maybe they conflict with each other, maybe they have the potential to radically alter our self-perception, maybe they get us out of a box and challenge us to see the world around us differently. If goals aren't somewhat risky, how will they make a difference?
My dad might not have liked STUPID goals. He was a nuclear and electrical engineer before he went into ministry, and engineers like SMART goals. But I think there's something to be said for STUPID too, and ultimately I think God can use STUPID and SMART, perhaps equally well.
In the one who keeps us, Steve
PS In addition to Father's Day, last week included our sons' birthdays—twins born on separate days, 7 minutes apart 31 years ago. We are also still adjusting to our newest grandson. Isaiah Immanuel Forcey was born to John and Sarah on June 2. He lives around the corner and I last held him…last night, on Sarah and John Forcey's 7th Anniversary! Older sister Evangeline seems to be adjusting well and cousin Cedar James Spinella (born in February) is oblivious, although we anticipate they'll have some great times together. All three are thriving, and we think they're the greatest gift ever!
PPS One of our roles is to come alongside people as they are debriefing, reviewing, reflecting, or even taking a sabbatical. That is what prompted my musings above, so could you remember and intercede for us and for those we come alongside?
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@gmail.com>
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