Now our goals can be WISE
With less work to do, I’ve had more time on my hands for health and fitness, creativity, and—at long last— intimacy. I’m having fun, sure, but some days are a bit squishy for my taste. I feel myself yearning for a proper goal. But what constitutes proper at this stage of life?
After fighting plantar fasciitis for more than a year, I probably shouldn’t aim for long-distance running or hiking. Chronic shoulder pain knocks out more aggressive swimming. Any 100-day challenge, physical or creative, will drag on interminably. And (unfortunately) I’ve never been able to slim down by setting a goal on a scale.
So what am I—a lifelong striver—to do? You might be wondering this too.
As we age, we become more realistic about the time we have left and also about what we enjoy. Should we still be striving? Should we still focus on accomplishment? Or can we reframe goal-setting and still feel proud of ourselves.
Remember the old days, when information equalled motivation? And our goals had to be SMART?
Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. If we met our metrics, we got to keep our jobs. The boss might raise our pay.
Raise this, my friends: Now that we’ve gained wisdom—which by the way was never our stated goal—it’s time our goals should be WISE!
For a word nerd like me it’s hard to resist a good acronym—or is it a mnemonic? Either way, here I go, reframing another old trope that no longer serves.
A WISE goal comes from Within. No matter our age, we should decide for ourselves where to dip in and when to dip out. When we’re in the flow, there’s no struggle. Our senses are heightened. We’re fully aware. We won’t know if a goal is worth pursuing until we give it a try.
A WISE goal will Ignite a spark. It might remind us who we’ve always been. Or it might awaken something new. Then it’s up to us to fan the flame. Moving across the country and exploring a new place has always fired me up, and this time has been no different. With no new boss to impress, making new friends and finding my way around the neighborhood without a GPS feel like suitable goals.
A WISE goal has Shape. This probably does mean some specificity and maybe even a time frame. These days, the shorter the term the better because finitude is real. Instead of spending the next year planning a bike packing trip in Europe for next summer, I think I’ll research routes that are a few hours from home and go in September.
Finally, a WISE goal should take a little bit of Extra. Adding a bit of fun and flash will keep us focused. In other words, we can go the extra mile without going crazy. Try the flip turn at the end of the pool instead of just thinking about it. Ask for the stranger’s phone number, and take her photo too.
Every one I talk to seems to have the same aspirations. And I can’t disagree.
Keep my brain and body as healthy as I can for as long as I can.
Widen my social circle.
Pare down my possessions and enjoy simple things.
These are good for a start. But even for WISE goals they’re still too squishy.
So how about we commit to the flow and the spark. The specificity. The fun and the flash.
And to try a little bit harder to make them stick.
