Dear September,
This is the one where I tell you that September is not
what it used to be. And I'm not talking about the way Starbucks starts to use
cinnamon and pumpkins like they are going out of style or how obsessive fashion
kids become over the prestigious September issue.
Historically, September has meant the end of summer, back
to work and back to school... back to real life essentially. However, September
now symbolizes a fresh new start. A way to bring the year back in if it hasn't
gone the way you want it to. In September, people set new goals and
implement new strategies to ensure that their goals are achieved.
I'm a final year student at university so September does
still signify having to go back to school but that’s not all anymore, I now
choose to see it as a chance to learn from my mistakes and make changes. A
chance to try new methods to achieving the goals I set for myself.
September is now a reminder that it is not about who
finishes first but who finishes best. September is a chance to take charge of
your life. It is closer to the end of the year than January but it is still
enough time to get shit done.
One of the most significant advantages of goal setting in
September as opposed to January is that you can make a more informed decision.
You can be 'realistic' but you can still dream because you have a better idea
of the way you work and if the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of
the year are truly reflective of where you want to be by the end of the year.
I believe in the power of a second chance and goal setting
in September gives you that power. Setting goals in September requires a lot
more courage and commitment and effort than setting goals in January. Goals set
in September MUST be SMART, not should, not could, not maybe, not its up to
you, MUST.
I will explain...
Specific
The goals you set in September cannot be general, the time
frame does not allow that. They have to explicitly state what you plan to
achieve. This should be easier because by September, a lot of narrowing down
should be out of the way. I'll give you an example. As a university student, I
set a goal in January to get a solid human resources internship by the end of
the year in January. I got an HR internship in the summer but it is not really
what I wanted. My new goal is not 'new,' it is just adapted. My new goal is to
get an HR internship with a well-known company in Toronto. An internship that
would allow me to gain hands-on experience and teach me the fundamental human
resources practices and procedures.
Measurable
You have to be able to identify when the goal has been
accomplished. Goals have to be tangible. "I want my GPA to increase” is
not measurable and neither is "I want do better in school." Do you
want a 3.12 or a 3.54 or 4? You can't tell with the initial goal. You have
to state your goals in such a way that it will be easy to hold yourself
accountable and responsible for them.
Achievable
Now this is the one I struggle with. But rather than
cancel it out altogether, I have decided to share my own perspective. Which,
like everything else on this blog, is left for you to agree or disagree. And
trust me, I will not be offended if you disagree. But it's my blog so I'm going
say what I want. Ok, achievability (got a lil sassy there for a minute).
I think rather than looking at the things you have and
saying "Ok, I think I have what I need to achieve this." I think you
should be frightened by the lapse and the lag between what you have and what
you need to get where you want to be. I do not think your goals should be
anywhere near your comfort zone.
Achievability should not be a physical or tangible thing,
it should be in your mind. It should be in your mind because your mind is
always going to be infinitely more powerful and permanent than your hands will
ever be. If your dream doesn't scare you then dream again friend.
The achievability of your dream should depend on first,
your willingness to have that dream because if you are dreaming the right
dream, it should take courage. The achievability of your dream and your goal
should also depend on your willingness and commitment to putting in the effort
required to fuel the dream. The achievability of said dream should not
depend on if it can be done or if it has been done because that has absolutely
nothing to do with you.
Realistic
This is
also another one I struggle with. Again, this is my perspective and it
definitely does not have to be yours. I don't think your goals should be
realistic in the conventional sense. You should sound crazy when you pitch your
ideas because it is the people crazy enough to have such big dreams that end up
achieving them. So, I think your goals should be realistic to you but not
necessarily anybody else. If you find anyone else who sees your goals as
realistic, you should keep them, because it should be rare. You should see your
goals as realistic not because they are but because you have enough confidence
in your vision and your abilities and what you have learned from your failures
and the person that you are, to believe that you are up to the task.
Time-based
You can relax, this I actually agree with.
Goals set in September have to be even more time-based than those set in
January. There is nothing artistic or complex about this, it is plain fact.
There is three times more time between January and December than there is
between September and December. What I think I can add here is the fact that I
do not think this should be intimidating or anything. If anything, this should
motivate you to work through any fear or hesitation you feel. You have no time
to sit around and think whether or not you want to. You have to jump and trust
that your vision is strong enough for you to push through the pain and the
hardship and the cracks and the bruises that are inevitable on the journey to
success.
I personally think the lack of time means more focused
time. This time crunch allows you to realize that there is a difference between
a plan B and compromise. With such little time, you are forced to think
critically and challenge yourself and figure out the right questions to ask and
to whom to ask. This crunch time gives you direction. With such little time, you
have none to wallow in self-pity when you fail. If one plan fails you have to
come up with a new idea that's just as good or better because you know from
your failure that this is the only way your goal can be accomplished. Getting
close to achieving your dream gives you motivation like nothing else, so
compromise is no longer an option.
So my darling September, embrace September
and all its possibilities. If I have learned anything, it is that everything in
your life is what you make it. Take the rest of the year by the horns and look
cute while doing it. I am rooting for you and me both.
Love ya,
Nini
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