Goal Setting Special: The Power Of Kiddish Goals And Dreams
posted in Goal Setting, Dream, Life |Hey Folks,
I was reading a post by Armannd @ ProjectArmannd.com titled “Life essentials, kindergarten version” and he was sharing about the lessons he learned in Kindergarden. I love that post as it reminds us of some important lessons that we tend to forget in our adult life as we compete in our society for a better social or financial standing. Read it, I believe you will love it! 
Kids And Their Goals
It also got me thinking about the relation between kids and goals. Do kids have goals and dreams?
I believed so. Although most of them never writes them down and even if they do write them down, it will probably be in a dairy expressing what they want and not done as a goal setting exercise.
I know a lot of their dreams are fairy tales and impractical stuffs like “Want to be [fill in their favorite superhero]” or “Want to be [fill in their favorite princess]” but they do have practical dreams, such as “Want to go to [fill in their favorite theme park]” or “Want to get [fill in their favorite toy]”. And you know what? Usually their dreams come true!
A Kids Unique Strength
So why is it that their dreams come true when they have never done any goal setting exercises such as we adults? I believed that it is because they have one quality that most adults lack:-
“Naiveness”
In their young minds, nothing is impossible. Being naive, they dare to try everything and anything. Being naive, they are not afraid to ask and pester their parents, uncles, aunties and, especially, grandparents for what they want. Being naive, they tell everyone their goals and dreams without any concern with regards to who knows about it - actually, the more people who knows about it, the better for them. Being naive, they do everything that adults won’t dream about doing and inevitably, someone from those above will fulfill their dreams.
So how does kiddish goals measure up to adult goals? Do they comply with S.M.A.R.T.? Lets See:
Specific - I know kids are very specific in what they want. They will point to that commercial on the TV and yell “That’s the one I want!” or drag you into the toy department, grab the toy they want and pull you right over to the cashier! Do you need them to be more specific?
Measurable - The only thing you really need to measure is whether you have sufficient cash in your wallet to buy whatever you were dragged into buying since you are standing at the cashier counter already.
Attainable - Since you will be the one standing at the cashier counter with the toy in one hand and your wallet in the other, I think you would be in a better position to tell me if it is attainable.
Realistic - The only realistic thing to consider is how are you going to get out of that situation if you decide not to buy it.
Time-Bound - The only concept that kids know about time is “NOW”. Nothing else matters, not yesterday, not tomorrow, only “NOW”!
So do you think little kids goals are S.M.A.R.T. enough?
Time For A Story
Let me finish this with a true story.
Once I brought my little girl Stella to Popular (a local chain of bookshop) and she wanted 3 books. I said “No, you can choose only one.” She didn’t argue and choose one book. I took the book and went about my browsing before making payment.
At the counter, the cashier totaled up the merchandise and billed me for 3 books! I asked her to clarify the total and she told me the total was for 3 books including 2 that a little girl passed to her while pointed to me and said “Daddy will pay”. I knew it was Stella as I recognized the 2 other books was Stella’s other choice so I asked her “which little girl”. She pointed to little Stella standing at the entrance of the bookshop smiling cheekily at me.
In the end, I gave in to her ingenuity and bought all 3 books for her. 
I’m not sure if she had the goal in mind to get 3 books. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. But I believe actions speaks louder then words and so I believe that it must have been a goal she wanted in her little mind.
Cheers,
James
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