CHANGE THE GAME PLAN

You know when your favorite skirt doesn’t fit anymore so you either have to make alterations to tighten or loosen it; or toss it all together in some situations. It’s the same with human goals and expectations. Some goals only seemed appropriate because of the circumstances and times in which you found yourself but when things change, we sometimes forget to adapt too. It is important that as these factors change, you’re able to tweak your goals too. Mind you, this isn’t to say that you should give up on your dream altogether. Though it may sometimes become absolutely necessary to do so when upon deep reflection, you realize it wasn’t something you actually wanted.

To make it clearer, I’ll use an example. So you planned on buying yourself a new laptop you badly need for school by the end of the first quarter of the year. Now by the end of February you realize you don’t have up to half of the price of a new laptop. So you have two options: A) Buy a second hand laptop since you need to use one very often and won’t be able to borrow without causing anyone an inconvenience. B) Manage the way you’ve been all that while and push the deadline to the second quarter after taking into account all expected financial situations and expected money inflow.

We optimistically make plans and set our own timelines because we are convinced they are attainable. But “all things being equal” as Economists like to say, has never been true in real life. With our little experience on Earth, we have seen time and time again how suddenly life can turn for either the better or worse. Sometimes unexpected occurrences move us three steps back in our journey, or our own mistakes cause us to retrogress. Other times, when your situation changes you realize that you only set those goals because of a certain gap in your life and now that it’s been filled you no longer need them.

It’s important that each time there’s a setback or change, we stop to check in with ourselves whether we still want the goals we’re striving so hard to achieve or if there’s a need for an update to the game plan. If it’s something you still want, then embrace the certainty of the uncertain. That things will not always go as planned and all delays are either opportunities to rest or strategize.

If you come to the realization that the goals you set for yourself no longer fit into the current scheme of things, do not beat yourself up and think you’re a failure. You have rather gained a clearer sense of direction and though you may not always find the next set of goals you want to pursue immediately, you can find comfort in the fact that you won’t be chasing after dreams that no longer serve you.

Here is a very popular goal setting strategy that works for when you’re planning or adjusting already set goals. If at any point you feel like you’re not progressing, revisit it and adjust where needed. This will help you remember why you started and may just be all the encouragement you need to keep going.

The SMART goals strategy:

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-oriented.



Important points:

The majority of the time, these goals come with deadlines that we set for ourselves. So as far as to a large extent you’re in control of your decisions, be flexible enough to alter your plans to fit the changing times and seasons. COVID-19 has placed a lot of strain on the world with many establishments forced to rethink their operations strategy. So if this virus has gotten in the way of your plans somehow, it’s an opportunity to transform your methods, adjust deadlines, rethink the goal or dead it altogether to start afresh.

Another important point is that some goals will only come to life through a miracle since you do not have the necessitating elements in your life to allow that. While it is important to hold on to your faith and pray, you also need to understand that miracles do not happen in a vacuum (if you believe in that sort of thing). So you need to put in the work. Don’t get too hung up on the goals that you forget the process to get there.

If you need a new laptop, you have to find a source of income or friends and relatives who can buy it for you. Simply wishing it into existence won’t cut it.

If you want straight As this semester as a good student , you need to go over and above what you’re used to. If you’re an average student, it would be more realistic to set goals like : I want 2As this semester with my least grade being a B. That way your expectations are Attainable and Measurable.

Lastly, you need to dream your own dreams. Don’t set goals for yourself based on other’s opinions, personalities, lifestyles, and economic situations. That is a fast lane to feeling depressed. Take into full consideration your personality, economic background etc when you dream. Don’t let them limit how far and wide you dream but also don’t let that of others be the reason you make certain choices.



Now that we know that it’s okay to adjust our plans and how to go about it. I hope that we are all able to frequently take stock of our goals, and be gentle with ourselves (and others) when things don’t go as planned. Share this post with someone who’s struggling with adjustment. You should also share any tips on adjusting and re-strategizing goals that you know of in the comments. Let’s make the most of 2021!