To complement my previous post on perhaps avoiding MBO and SMART goal settings for our life goals, I would like to offer some concrete examples. Vision or mission statement by Corporate Ideally, a company should have a vision statement by the founder. If don't have, 2nd best is a mission statement. Take a look. Are they broad and vague? Completely different from the 1 year and 5 year goals? Why? (Hey, I asked you first!) If your company does not have a vision or mission statement, congratulations! It's likely to be lead by a first generation business owner - the vision is still in the owner's mind. Watch and learn! A company becomes "ordinary" when they start to copy and implement management flavour of the month/year concepts... (usually the business owner's 2nd generation or newly recruited professional managers from outside) Anyone from my generation still remember "In Search of Excellence" by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. during the 80s? How many of these "excellent" companies are still around or "excellent"? Yes, Kodak was featured in the book. Then and Now When we were a young man/woman and fantasizing about what we want in our other half, what were our "goals"? He ideally would be tall and cute like Beckham. Ambitious, career minded, have stable income, owns a car, can afford a nice apartment, blah, blah, blah. She ideally can go from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds, has a V12 engine, and comes in red, black, or yellow... LOL! If you are married, roll-over and take a look at your other half. Anything closed to what you have "planned". Stop laughing. It doesn't matter right? Once the right one comes along, you knew it instantly! If still unmarried and wishing you were, you may want to reflect whether your "goals" are hindering or limiting your search...   Not recognizing what we really want in Life When I looked backed at my 44 years, did I planned all these? OK, you may challenge I had my 12 months to financial freedom goal. Ah! Don't get me wrong. MBO and SMART goals are great for specific targeted things we want to achieve - that's the power single-minded focus! Bt if success is measured by what we have to give up to achieve it, have you ever wondered what if some of those things you have "sacrificed" are those you would like to achieve your life goal? During my posting to Shanghai, I've seen 3 expat divorces - two European couples, and I Singaporean couple. Woman, if you prefer to stay in Singapore to further your career and let your hubby go to China without you, the chances of your marriage surviving is less than 50%. Brother, if you go to China without your wife, your life goal is definitely not about having a complete and loving family... My Life Goal What about me? Talk so much. Show us the money you say? My life goal is simple: I want to be happy. I am not an evangelist. You have to fill in the blanks yourselves.

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Singapore Man of Leisure (welcome to my blog; just google it!)