PULSE CHECK
Today ends the first quarter of 2025 – time to assess the progress made or lack thereof toward my 2025 goals, which required searching through a journal that was completed late January. One of the annoyances of journaling for me - ending one journal and starting a new one. I discovered three goals on the list of ten hadn't been addressed at all. The other seven were on the radar at least. The details of the list are tedious and pertinent only to me. One, however, bares highlighting, reading two books per month. I am “not meeting my expectations.” There should be a stack of six books on the floor by the orange loveseat where I read and write. There were two, the two that I read in January. How is this possible? I read every day. To not have more is a bit disturbing. This illustrates the benefits of having pulse checks.
A few weeks prior, I sat in the basement talking about my lack of goal attainment with my best friend. His goal for reading? one book each week. It occurred to him in January that this goal might be a tad bit unrealistic. So, he tweaked his goal to make it more specific and attainable. He began adding a short book or children's book to his reading list. My first thought when he shared this bit of information, “that’s cheating,” quickly followed with, “that’s a great idea.” The purpose of his goal was to establish a more disciplined practice of reading with the intention of reading the collection of books he had collected over many years. I sat and read aloud to him three children’s books that afternoon. There are benefits to reading aloud so try it. I thought of that afternoon as I reviewed the reading goal.
My status - I currently read from four books every day which is why I can say emphatically, “I read every day.” They are thought-provoking, instructional, and often include an activity for me to complete. The thoughts generated are sometimes fodder for what you read on Monday mornings.
I realized as I reviewed the goals that I had forgotten the most effective way to set goals – they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART). My goals met these criteria apart from being specific.
My pulse check successfully identified why the goal wasn’t being met. The fix? Assign a specific purpose for each goal which enabled the addition of specificity for the actions necessary to meet it. My purpose for reading? Enhancement of focus, concentration, and vocabulary. Specificity of action? two books of any genre, two hundred pages or less or one longer per month, while continuing to plow through the four other books.
Have you revisited your goals and aspirations for the year? A quarter of the year is spent. It can’t be reclaimed but your goals for the remaining quarters can be refocused. Refocusing is possible when the current situation is assessed and tweaked. I see children’s books like “What to do with an idea” – Kobi Yamada in my future.
PONDER THIS THOUGHT--- Denzel Washington, “Remember, dreams without goals are just dreams. And they ultimately fuel disappointment.”
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