Most of us have heard of SMART goals, maybe in school or at a corporate lunch-and-learn. The concept of SMART goals has taken hold in all kinds of settings to make projects and tasks more manageable and primed for success.
Sounds great, right? And it is! SMART goals can help you visualize your finish line and plot out the steps it will take to get there. But, they can make some aspects of your progression seem formulaic and robotic. Let’s take a closer look.
What Are SMART Goals?
SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Using these parameters to set your goals can help you decide what to prioritize and where to put your resources. They can also create a sense of accountability and responsibility for achieving the desired result.
Asana has many good examples of how you might incorporate SMART goals into your life, primarily in a career. But, this method is also useful for personal goals or family goals!
For example, if you want to teach your kids how to swim by the end of the summer, you can set specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic steps to achieve your desired end in just a few months. You can plan to buy a pool membership, schedule out how many days you’ll go to the pool, etc.
What Are Dumb Goals?
Truthfully, there is no real definition of a “dumb goal.” It would simply be a goal that is not set with the SMART acronym in mind. But is there a reason why a “dumb goal” might be of better use to you than it’s more tried-and-true counterpart?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want to put time constraints on myself in this project?
- Do I know what my finished product will be?
- Do I have all the information I need to take specific steps moving forward?
- Do I have an idea of what is realistic to achieve in any given time frame?
- Do I need to measure my success?
Sometimes, you should focus more on enjoying the process and learning as you go. Maybe you don’t want to compete with others and want to enjoy the process itself. Maybe you want to follow your body’s cues for rest and work, and your mind’s cues for production/creation and wandering. This is not a bad thing!
Let’s consider a realistic example. Say your friends are excited about a reading challenge and want to include you. They are using apps to track their books and hosting monthly get-togethers to discuss their current reads. This might sound fun on the surface, but it also makes you cringe to consider a lot of rules and structure forced upon an activity you already enjoy. Perhaps you do want to read more and discuss books with your buds, but you aren’t motivated by the check-ins and competition. So, instead of setting a specific goal to read X number of books each month, you set a timer to read for 15 minutes before bed each day, and call it good. At the book nights, you talk about your favorite stories without referring to any apps or lists. You simply enjoy the process of reading!
Make a “Dumb Goal”
Challenge yourself to set a goal without too many parameters and restrictions. Let yourself envision your desired outcome, and how you might achieve it. Let yourself stray and return, let your creativity ebb between inspired and bored, and let yourself be productive and rest in equal measure.
Does this “dumb goals” process work for you? Maybe not. Maybe you love SMART goals, or maybe you thrive somewhere in the middle with a more “managed chaos” system. That’s okay. Find what makes you happy and fulfilled, and don’t be afraid to try new methods as you grow and change as a person.