You’ve probably heard of SMART goals—those that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Some say goals crafted within the parameters of SMART make us play it too safe and keep us coloring inside the lines.
Welcome to DUMB goals
That’s where DUMB goals come into play.
There are different interpretations for what constitutes a DUMB goal. A couple I particularly like are:
- Dreamy, Unrealistic, Motivating, and Bold
- Dangerously Unattainable, Monstrously Big
You can see these interpretations suggest traditional goals aren’t inspiring enough and keep us thinking overly small about what’s possible.
The idea behind a DUMB goal is that stepping into your bigness and doing great things comes from inspiration and going beyond ordinary or expected efforts. In that sense, a DUMB goal is seemingly far-fetched, highly optimistic, and truly transformational.
A DUMB goals creates a line in the sand—there is life before the goal and life after the goal. Life after the goal is never the same.
$42K in debt
Let me share a quick story about one of my clients who had a DUMB goal—she wanted to eliminate $42K in credit card debt within a year. That sounds unattainable, doesn’t it?
But that Dangerously Unattainable, Monstrously Big goal kicked her motivation and determination into high gear. Thinking she could be out from under the burden of her debt within 12 months—not 3 years or 5 years or more— called forth a level of dedication that might not have happened with a SMART goal approach.
I’m sure you’re wondering what happened…
My client did not reach her DUMB goal of paying off the $42K in 12 months. Instead, it took just shy of 15 months.
Was she disappointed? Are you kidding?! She was elated! A DUMB goal is what it took to get debt-free in less time than she had dared imagine.
Your wildest dreams = A DUMB goal
The underlying premise of a DUMB goal is to take your dreams and simply decide to do them. Even those goals you’ve never dared share with another soul. I’m talking about great big audacious goals that would fulfill your wildest dreams.
DUMB goals mean going for it—whatever that big, juicy “it” is.
- They push us beyond what’s expected or initially believed possible.
- They cause us to greet the day with a spring in our step.
- They take us outside our comfort zone where we feel the fear and do it anyway.
Diving headfirst into possibility
DUMB goals mean letting go—of what others think, of limiting beliefs, of being constrained by your past. You don’t just stick your toe in the water with a DUMB goal, you dive headfirst into the deep end.
Is there a DUMB goal lurking in the back of your mind? Want to triple your income or sell your house and move abroad for a year? Want to write a best-selling novel or start a blog and get 10,000 subscribers within a year?
What big audacious goals would fulfill your wildest dreams?
