It’s undefined.
You can’t achieve it and be finished.
It’s a desirable state, and a good thing to want – but it’s not enough to help you achieve it.
With desirable-state-to-achieve-and-maintain type “goals” like this, it’s helpful first to acknowledge that you will never be able to tick it off. Same goes with the following:
“Be a good friend and family member.”
“Keep the house liveable.”
“Have enough fun.”
“Keep growing spiritually.”
“Have a meaningful career.”
“Make a contribution to my neighbourhood.”
“Achieve financial security.”
These ‘state’ goals need specific, actionable, “did I do it or not?” sub-goals in order to be maintained – usually about how you spend your time.* If you make good sub-goals, achieve them, and set further goals regularly, you’re much more likely to achieve them.
*I heard someone recently talk about turning goals into time (Dave Allen?), and that’s a helpful idea.
Thanks to Jeff Sanders 5 AM Miracle (ep #308) for the reminder.
really helpful
I think I may have sent it to you, and I think it’s Covey (?) or is it Seth Godin who talks about goals being overrated and commitments being underrated. Goals are often nebulous, commitments not so. I have pretty much eliminated goals from my list unless they are future cast e.g. my goal list for next month is all stated in the past sense as ‘I will have done such and such’. The rest are commitments which are specific and actionable. It’s really helped.