Goal setting is important. Without goals, we drift from one job or activity to the next. There is wasted time, wasted effort, lost opportunities, and inefficiency.
At work, we are beginning the goal setting process for 2008, and it struck me that this would be a valuable exercise in our collecting efforts as well.
When setting goals, even personal goals, remember the SMART tool. This will help you stay focused and achieve success.
What is SMART?
It is an acronym for a method of writing or defining goals that make them both measureablre and attainable.
S- Specific: Make the goal specific. Focus on one thing, not many things. You can set multiple goals, but make each one specific.
M- Measurable: Know where you are on the subject, and measure the change.
A- Attainable: Make you goal something that you can actually attain. A goal can be a stretch goal; but it should be something that you can reasonably accomplish.
R- Relevant or Realistic: I’ve seen this written both ways, Make your goal relevant to what you want out of your life, job or collection. Make it Realistic, something you can obtain, accomplish, complete.
T- Timely. Make your goal timely. Allow enough time to be successful, but set yourself a deadline. The longer you drag out anything, the less interested you will be in it.
How Can I set Goals For My Collection?
Stop and think for a minute, what do I collect, what are my specialties, what are my limitations whether in time, budget or other resources.
Visualize, where do I want to be a year from now with my collection. Than Think SMART.
Some SMART Collecting Goals to Consider
Before the next TOR in February 2008, I will identify, by Blue Book Number, value and organize all of my duplicates in Lodge Number order.
By the end of March 2008 I will identify and catalog my collection and update my needs list to ensure that I do not acquire any more duplicates thinking that they are needs.
By the Shu Shu Gah TOR in November 2008, I will reduce my number of active lodge needs by 50% (from 100 to 50).
In 2008 I will write and post at least 20 OA Patch or Patch Collecting related articles to the NYOATrader Blog each month.
I will actively work to obtain my one last need for lodge XXX by the end of 2008 by checking eBay each day, attending 5 TOR’s, regularly visiting multiple dealers sites and posting my needs to Patch-L.
There’s a few idea’s for some collecting goals for 2008.
Are they SMART? How would you improve them?
What are your collecting goals?
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