Perfection: Baseball, Golf,Bowling and Family – SMART Goals

Throughout my management career I have heard many talks on setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-based). The two criteria that start to get fuzzy are the attainable and realistic measures.

According to Wikipedia, in baseball, “A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base.” To me it would seem a perfect game would be when a single pitcher threw 27 straight strikeouts. But that would not be attainable or, likely, realistic.

In golf we set an artificial standard of par, which is an illusive but attainable goal. This isn’t even realistic for me although it is improved upon regularly by the professionals.  A “perfect” round of 18 consecutive holes-in-one would be neither attainable or realistic.

In bowling, a perfect game of 300 is in fact attainable (by some) and could be considered realistic depending upon your experience and skill (again, not for me).

There is no such thing as the perfect family. We can, and should set realistic goals (our own “par” for family) and strive to achieve them. If you are hesitant to put yourself (and your family) out there to serve others as an example of Christ’s love, be open to the idea of exposing your imperfections to those you are serving and to those you are serving alongside.

“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.”George Edward Woodberry

“You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky (I couldn’t resist one more sports reference.)

We are not perfect, nor can we be by our own effort. It is only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ that we can be made righteous and blameless. Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”