by Jill Greenwood

Seriously, I truly am a simple woman. Give me a cold beer and some hot wings for a meal, and I’m happy. Books? I’ll read anything as long as it has a good plot and your main character doesn’t come off as a grade-A douchebag (I’m looking at you, Eat, Pray, Love). My children? Do your best because I’m doing my best. My students? Go back and read what I wrote about my own children.

But my goals? I make them so convoluted that I never achieve what I’m setting out to do. They are so lofty that I know I’m bound to fail. And I fail spectacularly. Finish all my knitting works-in-progress? Ahh, that goal gets made every year, and I only seem to add to my WIPs. However, if I set that bar at a more manageable level (say 25% with no more than two projects added), I would probably be successful. Write a novel? Half sounds good. Hello, graduate degree? Where are you? This is the year . . . I can feel it.

But with grading last-minute items before the end of the term has a way of preventing goals getting started. Thankfully, good friends have a way of reminding you that your ultimate goal has nothing to do with knitting or novel writing or finishing your graduate degree. Yes, the ultimate goal is to meet the vice president. And if sitting on his lap and snuggling is on the table, so be it.

I am a simple woman after all. But here’s the deal I’m willing to make with you, oh lovely O + U readers: if you can make that last goal happen, there’s a nice hand-knit something-or-other in the making for you. I do have that two project addition rule in place for a reason.

Every year, I come up with about 20 or so goals. Most of them have to do with “personal growth” – not biting one’s hang nails is personal growth – and come mid-February, I’m left scratching my head, beating myself up yet again for having set the bar too high. What’s a girl to do? Contact a  friend who knows a lot about setting goals and getting the job done and ask for some help. And I’m figuring that we all could use a little help in achieving our goals. But I’ll speak to my own goals next week. For now, I’ll pass the blog over to Beverly Army Williams. Her post has concrete steps to help set yourself up for success with personal and professional goals.

Whether or not you’ve ever written a grant, and whether it was a little or gargantuan grant, there are some lessons to be learned about personal and career goals from grant writing.

Each and every grant comprises at least six parts: Need, Goal and objectives, Plan of action, Evaluation, Key personnel, Budget

Wait! What does this have to do with finally completing a 100-mile bike ride (one of my recurring goals)?  Here’s a look at how the grant sections can help you focus your goals.

Need: the grant writer explains why the project must be undertaken. What problem or opportunity has presented itself? What will happen if it doesn’t change?

Goal and objectives: in grant writing parlay, a goal is an overarching aim. What is the big idea? Objectives are the what of the grant: what will it take to reach the goal? Think of this as the stepping stones that lead to the destination. The classic litmus test for a strong objective is to see if it is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Referenced)

Plan of Action: this is the blueprint, the if-you-leave-the-job-and-the-grant-gets-funded-we-can-still-run-the-program part of the grant. It is the how to the objectives’ what. Write down every little thing it will take to make the project (or goal) happen. In what order do all these actions have to occur? How long will they take?

Evaluation: no one gives you money without a way to assess if it has been well spent. Strong objectives lead to effective evaluation. Questions to ask are how will I know I achieved the objective? What questions will help ensure that I stay on track?

Quality of Key Personnel: grant writers need to prove to funders that the right people are in place for the job. While some goals are achievable on your own, in some cases you’ll need support—a cheering section, an expert to guide you, a coach. Who is needed to make this a success?

Budget: grants are about exchanges. Here’s a project that will alleviate a problem or take advantage of an opportunity. Here’s what it will cost. Does that balance out? Is it worth it? How many people will feel the impact of the project? What is the cost, in terms of money, time, and other intangibles, of your goal? Is achieving the goal worth that cost?

Free writing on each section can lead you not only to concrete plans to achieve a goal, but also help evaluate whether or not a goal is worthy of your efforts and how you will know that you’ve made progress even if, like my 50-mile apex ride of 2012, the goal hasn’t quite been achieved.

 Beverly Army Williams is a writer and fiber artist. She teaches grant writing at a small public university in MA and blogs at www.pomogolightly.com and runs a writing consulting business at www.openroadwriting.com. Follow her on Twitter @Beverly_Army.

Once upon a time, I was a task master.  I was a vigilant list maker.  I set goals and held tight.  I was a warrior with a spreadsheet.  I was relentless.  Also?  I missed out on a good portion of my life.  I was so busy placing check marks in my daily planner that I missed out on living and connecting with the people IN my life.  It’s taken me years to unwind and let go.  I worried I’d fall off the edge…shrivel up…fade into nothing.  Do you know what happened?  I came to life.  Color came back into the world…I reconnected.  And do you know something else?  My personal growth continued in a much more meaningful way.  It’s been, undoubtedly, my most important life work.  I still have multiple projects going on, I still make lists (just not as rigid and much more realistic), and I still have goals.  The difference?  I now see these goals as simply guideposts.  I remember to leave room for change, for tweaking, for the unexpected beauty that life sends our way.

Shortly after New Year’s Day, I pulled out my iPhone to take note of some project ideas rumbling around inside my head.  Additionally, I added a few practical tasks that need attention.  ie: clean up external hard drive, update software, catch up on Getty paperwork (I can hear the collective groan of waiver release forms).  I jotted down some new things I’d like to try: The Color Run and, most importantly, I left room for life.

What are your guideposts/goals?  Are you adding a little adventure in 2013?  I’d love to hear about it…

-Erika “Digging Deep” Ray

I love this time of year.  People are aiming to do and be better.  I love that buzz.  If you were a bad friend who flaked on your other friends, you vow to be present in the circle a little more.  If you ate shity ass fast food, you vow to fill your tummy with fresh greens or at least stuff not sold with a side of salt and a toy.  If you changed the channels on the tv more than you changed into your running shoes, you start to get up.  Call these a resolution or just call it a new leaf, I don’t care.  But deep down, every single person vows the next year will be a little different.

I do it every year.  I also do this at my birthday.  I don’t do it because I think I’m an awful person, I do it because the blank page of a new year allows it.  This year, I figured I’d pick a word.  A lot of solid people do this yearly tradition.  They find a word and promise to live their life honoring those letters.  I’ve never done it because I’ve never wanted to be that deep.  And when I make my new year vows, it’s just a general Be Nicer kind of promise.  Because that’s the Lazy Comfy Gal way.  This year, I’m smacking myself around a bit and I’m getting deep on my ass.  I’m picking a word: BRAVE.

I am a Lazy/Comfy Gal.  That doesn’t necessarily mean I lay on the couch and have my kids get me stuff.  To me, those words means you accept your life and think, “This is good and I’m happy with it.”  We’re not wealthy, but we pay our bills and occasionally go out to dinner.  I watch what I eat, but I could be better.  My kids are content, but I could push them a little more.  But I shouldn’t be so lazy or comfy.  I need to be BRAVE.  Push back on life and see what it throws back.  Maybe it will shoot back with some fantastic Life Glitter.  Or maybe it will puke back some Life Shit.  But at least I was pushing and living.

First step in being BRAVE, give back and don’t worry about the outcome.  “Why would you worry about the outcome, Erika?”  I hear you saying…  Easy.  Will people buy them?  Will someone have a fit about the funds?  It’s a ton of work, do I have the time?  What if we screw up the ordering process?  Where does the money actually go?  What if it isn’t enough money?  How much time will it take from my family? It’s going to be so much work.  Blah.  Blah.  Blah.  That’s all shit.  That’s the Lazy Comfy Gal speak.

The BRAVE girl speak is: I don’t give a flying poo about any of that.  People need money and I can help give a few dimes.  You give because it’s the right thing to do.  The details are so important.  Only the doing.

You can help give a few dimes too (If you’ve already given, share this blog post!).  And when you give, you’ll receive a beautiful notecard set: the following 6 4×6 blank cards for only $12!  Please helps us (6 fabulous photographers), help the families of Newtown, Connecticut.  I can only imagine how brave those families were when the kids had to go back to school this week.  Let’s help make it a little easier for them.

Images (left to right):

Top: DeAnna McCasland :: Kristin Zecchinelli

Middle: Suzanne Gipson :: Carmen Farrell

Bottom: Erika Ray :: Breanna Peterson

fund info here