Chapter 5:
By morning, the Market District had turned restless.
Prices shifted before merchants could repaint their signs. Crowds pressed against supply stalls, buying whatever they could carry before costs climbed again by nightfall. Arguments erupted in the streets over bread, fuel, and transport fees.
Fear moved faster than reason.
Frey watched it all beside Anansi as they crossed through the crowded district.
The city no longer felt stable. It felt reactive.
People grabbed at whatever relief they could still afford before tomorrow changed again.
A merchant shouted across the street:
“Buy now or regret it tomorrow!”
And the terrifying part was, people listened.
Anansi said nothing for a long time.
Then quietly:
“Panic makes people surrender the future for temporary certainty.”
The words stayed with Frey as Anansi led him away from the crowded markets toward the older edge of Auld Haven, where the stone roads narrowed into steep pathways climbing high above the city.
Ahead stood a narrow bridge stretched across a massive chasm.
Frey stopped immediately.
It was old, far older than anything surrounding it.
Weathered wooden planks and cracked stone slabs formed its path, suspended by thick ropes and iron chains that groaned softly in the wind. Several boards were missing entirely, leaving open gaps where the darkness below could be seen far too clearly.
There was no bottom in sight; only depth. The bridge swayed faintly, as though unsure of itself.
Some sections looked solid. Others seemed worn thin by time, splintered and unreliable beneath the shadows.
Frey’s stomach tightened as he stepped closer to the edge and looked down; nothing but open darkness beneath him.
Anansi stopped beside him. His eyes remained fixed on the bridge.
“This is the distance between intention and drift.”
The statement irritated Frey instantly, as he stepped closer to the edge.
The platforms shifted constantly.
Changing.
Reforming.
Vanishing.
Nothing about the path looked trustworthy.
“You’ve learned where labor disappears,” Anansi said calmly behind him. “Now you must decide where you intend to send it.”
Frey frowned. “My labor?”
“Your time. Your focus. Your discipline. Your future.”
The city noise in the distance behind them seemed so insignificant. For several seconds, Frey said nothing.
Because deep down, he understood the accusation hidden inside the lesson. Most of his life had not been directed. It had been reactive.
Survive this week.
Escape today’s exhaustion.
Avoid tomorrow’s fear.
But never intentionally build toward anything beyond survival itself.
The realization unsettled him deeply. Anansi’s voice lowered.
“Most people drift long before they fail.”
Frey looked toward the unstable bridge again. Then, finally, stepped forward.
The stone beneath his foot trembled violently.
Immediately, the chasm below awakened. Shapes emerged from the darkness. Different versions of himself.
One buried beneath scattered obligations and unfinished ambitions, endlessly busy yet permanently stagnant.
Another surrounded by wealth and luxury, yet hollow-eyed and deeply restless.
And farther below, a third wandered endlessly through crowded city streets while years disappeared unnoticed around him.
No direction.
No structure.
No destination.
Only movement is mistaken for progress. Frey’s chest tightened.
The Wanderer looked the most familiar. Anansi spoke from behind him.
“Undefined futures consume people slowly.”
The platform beneath Frey cracked slightly. Panic surged through him.
“What am I supposed to do?!”
“Decide.” The answer echoed across the chasm. Frey clenched his jaw.
Behind him, Auld Haven stretched endlessly beneath smoke and lanternlight. The labor district. The markets. The exhaustion. The endless cycle of people reacting to emergencies faster than they could build anything lasting.
The entire Dominion suddenly looked like a civilization trapped inside short-term thinking.
Anansi spoke again.
“Specific direction.” A stone ahead stabilized.
“Clear purpose.”
Another appeared.
“Realistic movement.”
Another.
“Measured progress over time.” The bridge slowly began forming ahead of him.
Not randomly.Deliberately. The realization struck him all at once. The bridge was not testing courage. It was testing intentionality.
What did he actually want his life to become?
Not emotionally.
Not impulsively.
Not temporarily.
Truly.
The question felt heavier than fear itself. Frey swallowed hard.
“I don’t want survival to consume my entire life.”
The platform stabilized instantly. He stepped forward carefully.
“I want enough stability that fear no longer controls every decision.” Another stone appeared.
Below him, the Wanderer flickered violently.
Frey continued.
“I want knowledge that cannot be taken from me.” Another platform formed.
“And someday…” His voice tightened slightly. “I want to build something that outlives survival itself.”
The bridge solidified beneath him completely. The Wanderer vanished.
For the first time since stepping onto the path, Frey felt solid ground beneath his feet. Not because the future had become certain. Because it had finally become defined.
Anansi watched him carefully from the opposite side.
No pride. Observation. “A goal without structure becomes fantasy,” he said quietly. Frey looked back toward the city. The panic spreading through the markets suddenly made more sense now.
People who had no long-term direction became prisoners of short-term fear. And fear made people easy to control. The realization sat heavily in his chest.
Anansi stepped closer and handed him a small, worn piece of parchment divided by faint lines.
Blank. Waiting.
“What is this?” Frey asked quietly.
“A beginning.” Frey stared down at the parchment.
Then Anansi added, “Write clearly.” A pause.
“The Ledger favors precision.”
Something about the sentence unsettled him immediately. Not the words themselves.
The familiarity behind them.
Frey’s Journal: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set financial goals and priorities:
The SMART framework is a time-tested tool for defining clear and actionable objectives. Each component ensures your goals are structured for success, promoting focus, motivation, and accountability. Setting financial goals and priorities is a fundamental aspect of financial planning. You can develop a focused, actionable financial strategy by defining clear objectives and determining their relative importance.
Entry: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
Entry: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
Today I realized most people do not fail because they lack effort.
They fail because they never intentionally decide where their labor is meant to go.
Survival becomes direction.
Fear becomes planning.
Relief becomes purpose.
The bridge revealed something difficult to admit:
I have spent much of my life reacting instead of building.
Perhaps that is why clear goals feel frightening.
Once a destination is named, excuses become harder to hide behind.
Specific.
Clear.
Realistic.
Measured.
For the first time, I understand that goals are not wishes.
They are declarations about where time, labor, attention, and discipline will be sent before the world consumes them elsewhere.
1. Specific
Goals must be precise and well-defined to focus your energy effectively. To create a specific goal, answer the following questions:
What: What do I want to achieve?
Why: Why is this goal important?
Who: Who is involved?
Where: Where is it relevant?
Which: What resources or limitations are associated?
Instance:
I want to save $20,000 for a down payment on a home within the next three years to provide financial security and reduce rental costs.
Please review your current financial situation and begin by evaluating your financial standing. Calculate your income, expenses, assets, and debts. Understanding where you stand financially will provide a realistic starting point for setting your goals.
– Identify Your Short, Medium, and Long-Term Goals: Categorize your financial goals based on their time horizon. Short-term goals are usually achievable within a year, medium-term goals within 1 to 5 years, and long-term goals beyond five years.
Entry: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
I thought that shedding weight would make me free. But freedom without direction is just another form of being lost.
2. Measurable
Your goals need quantifiable metrics to track progress. Regular evaluation allows you to adjust your strategy and maintain motivation.
Instance:
I will save $556 monthly to reach $20,000 in three years, monitoring my progress quarterly to stay on track.
– Prioritize Your Goals: Rank your financial goals based on their importance to you. Consider your values, aspirations, and life stage. Some prioritize buying a home, while others prioritize paying off debt or saving for travel.
– Consider Time and Risk Tolerance: Goals with longer time horizons may allow for greater investment risk, while short-term goals may require safer, more accessible options. You can evaluate your risk tolerance and time horizon to align your investments accordingly.
– Create a Budget: Develop a budget that aligns with your goals and priorities. Allocate funds for necessary expenses, debt repayment, savings, and investments. A budget ensures that you allocate your money wisely and avoid unnecessary spending. (Hint: Our budget at the start of this module can help with this.)
– Establish an Emergency Fund: An emergency fund is crucial. Prioritize building an emergency fund before pursuing other financial goals. It provides economic security and prevents you from derailing other plans when unexpected expenses arise.
– Focus on Debt Repayment: High-interest debts can impede progress toward other financial goals. Prioritize paying off debts, starting with the highest-interest ones.
– Automate Savings and Investments: To make saving and investing easier, automatically contribute to your savings accounts and investment portfolios. This will ensure you consistently work towards your goals without relying solely on willpower.
3. Achievable
Your goals should stretch your abilities but remain realistic. Would you happen to know if your resources, time, and support make your goal attainable?
Instance:
To save $20,000, I will cut unnecessary expenses by 15% and take on freelance graphic design work to supplement my income.
Plan for Unexpected Expenses
Financial setbacks happen, so preparing for them prevents progress from derailing. Maintaining an emergency fund of 3-6 months’ expenses is crucial.
Instance:
David saves $5,000 in an emergency fund, which helps him cover unexpected car repairs without going into debt.
4. Relevant
Your goals must align with your broader life ambitions and current priorities. Could you make sure they serve a meaningful purpose and fit within the context of your responsibilities?
Instance:
Saving for a down payment aligns with my long-term vision of homeownership and financial independence.
5. Time-Bound
A clear deadline creates urgency and focus. Assign milestones for smaller tasks to maintain progress.
Instance:
I will save $5,000 in the first nine months, $7,500 in the next year, and the remaining $7,500 in the final year, for a total of $20,000 by December 2027.
Goal: I will complete my first marketing certification within six months, lead a major project by the end of the year, and apply for the head of marketing role within 18 months.
The Pros and Cons of SMART Goals
Pros:
– Clarity and Focus: SMART goals break objectives into actionable steps.
– Motivation: Measurable progress boosts confidence and drives momentum.
– Accountability: Deadlines and specific actions hold you responsible.
– Universality: Easy to apply across financial, personal, or professional goals.
Cons:
– Rigid Framework: Limited flexibility may not suit long-term or evolving goals.
– Overemphasis on Detail: Excessive specificity can stifle creativity.
– Short-Term Bias: May need to address big-picture ambitions or adaptability fully.
- Short-Term Goal:
“I will pay off $5,000 in credit card debt within 12 months by allocating $417 monthly and cutting discretionary spending by 20%.” - Mid-Term Goal:
“I will save $15,000 for an emergency fund in 18 months by contributing $833 monthly through automatic transfers and investing in a high-yield savings account.” - Long-Term Goal:
“I will grow my retirement savings to $500,000 before turning 60 by contributing $500 monthly to a 401(k) plan and maximizing my employer’s match.”
SMART goals are versatile tools for achieving financial success and career growth. To make the most of this framework, revisit your goals periodically to reflect on progress, recalibrate timelines, and adapt to life changes. Whether you’re saving for a milestone or advancing your career, SMART goals transform aspirations into achievable realities.
– Seek Professional Advice: If you need clarification on financial planning or have complex financial situations, consider consulting a financial advisor, taking a refresher course (✅Good Job!), or independently taking the time to amass the information you need, decipher what is important, and go from there. These can help you tailor a plan to your unique needs and guide you toward achieving your goals more efficiently.
The bridge faded slowly behind Frey as he followed Anansi toward the outer overlook above Auld Haven.
For the first time, he could see how enormous the Dominion truly was.
The labor districts stretched endlessly beneath smoke and iron.
Beyond them, the Market District pulsed with noise, appetite, and growing unrest as merchants argued over prices changing faster than workers could earn.
But farther beyond the city, other regions waited.
Past the old bridge to the west, Solara shimmered beneath the Firmament, its towering structures glowing with the promise of wealth, status, and ascension.
To the south, the dry expanse of Elandra carried caravans loaded with resources few citizens of Auld Haven would ever touch themselves.
And far to the east, beyond fractured stone ruins swallowed by fog, rested what remained of Austeris, a city erased so thoroughly from Dominion records that even speaking its name openly had become dangerous. Frey stared across the horizon uneasily.
The world suddenly felt much larger than survival. And much more controlled.
Anansi’s voice broke the silence.
“Every region of the Dominion teaches people what to value,” he said quietly.
Then his eyes drifted toward the distant crystal cities suspended beneath the Firmament.
“And every system reveals itself eventually through what begins disappearing first.”
Below them, somewhere deep within Auld Haven, another wave of shouting erupted through the markets.
Prices were rising again.