Goal-setting is like gardening: an all-year commitment

by Mervin Straughan
December 2020

When winter's alarm clock abruptly wakes us, even the hardiest goal setter can be forgiven for wanting to withdraw and press life's "snooze" button.

During diminished daylight hours, we observe most members of the animal and plant kingdoms entering inertia. We might wish that we, too, could enter a sleep-like state until spring's return.

It's all too easy to sleepwalk through the beauty of winter's frosts which ice-sugar the landscapes as well as its multi-hued sunlight. In the same way, goal setters must enjoy the journey whatever time of year otherwise we risk missing some of the best parts of the process.

There's work to do, that's for sure. Gardeners don't hang up their gloves at this time of the year. They've already begun digging into the job of clearing and designing as well as protecting their assets against what winter might bring.

Gardening is a metaphor for goal setting. With the rich foliage in retreat, we're left with a garden in a pared state that gives us scope to plan changes for the year ahead. It's time to reach for the gardening books and catalogues and consider what we can seed and plant and in what combinations. Will we include a summerhouse, water feature or bench?

GROUNDWORK

There's something apt about goal planning in winter. We can consider how we'd like to emerge and whether or not we'll have done the groundwork to enjoy what lies ahead.

Little surprise, then, that New Year is a popular time for goal setting; setting and revising objectives and action plans. This watershed moment allows us to reflect on the achievements of a year that's gone and to look towards a year that's only just been ushered in.

Time is a gift. The garden might lack the floral abundance we enjoyed only months earlier but we can make best use of the daylight hours to ensure next year's riot of colour. 

Like the gardener, we can begin our mental pruning, seed planting and weather proofing to ensure that we are ready to grow and blossom.