SDUGs

A couple of years ago I tried to make some professional BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).

They say that leaders are supposed to make them.

BHAGs are seemingly impossible goals that supposedly spur on leaders and the people around them to achieve the impossible.

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I made some.

It felt weird. Very out of character for me.

When I showed it to the rest of our staff, our (brilliant) youth leader looked at me skeptically and said, “Why would you do this?”

“I…..I don’t know.”

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Writing BHAGs is really out of character for me.

I lead a church, but I’m not a leadery type of leader.

I don’t really care if our church achieves the impossible.

I don’t really care if I achieve the impossible.

So instead of Big Hairy Audacious Goals, I’m working on some SDUGs.

Small Disappointing Unassuming Goals

These feel much more David Libby.

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These are works in progress. I have personal SDUGs and professional SDUGs.

These are my 1 year, 3 year, 5 year, 10 year, and 20 year SDUGs.

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Personal SDUGs:

1 year: Continue to be on medication and in therapy, instead of getting frustrated and quitting either one during the year.

3 year: Be at least a tiny bit less concerned with other people’s opinions of the things that I say and do.

5 year: Be more comfortable with wherever my faith (or lack thereof) is, instead of wishing for certainty as strongly as I do today.

10 year: Be even more comfortable with wherever my faith (or lack thereof) is, instead of desiring certainty as strongly as I did five years ago.

20 year (if I’m lucky enough to live that long): Appreciate the life I have and the choices I’ve made, rather than living in regret for who I’m not and what I haven’t done.

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Professional SDUGs:

1 year: Do better at taking at least one day off a week, if not two.

3 year: Have fewer instances of a fight/flight/freeze/fawn response when confronted by intimidating people.

5 year: Develop an ever-so-slightly thicker skin.

10 year: Have a job where I’m content. Whether that’s as a pastor or something else.

20 year: Feel at peace with the work that I’ve done and the life that I’ve lived up to this point.

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I’ve been working on some SDUGs for our church as well.

My ambitious copastor is going to hate them :)

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Comment below with your BHAGs or SDUGs.

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I asked AI to depict “Small, Disappointing, Unassuming Goals.”

AI absolutely crushed it.

A+

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What I’m listening to:

Strong Enough - Jonas Brothers

Prob my fave JB song.