Audio: 5
Chapter 5:
By morning, Frey had filled half a page trying to answer one question. What should tomorrow become? Most of his answers sounded impressive until he read them back.
More money.
A better life.
Freedom.
Anansi read the page without comment.
“Well?”
Frey frowned. “What’s wrong with them?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you looking at me like that?” Anansi handed the journal back. “Because none of them tell you what to do today.” Frey looked down at the words. They suddenly seemed smaller. Anansi led him toward the older edge of Auld Haven, where the stone roads narrowed into steep paths above the city.
The market noise faded behind them. Ahead, an old bridge stretched across a massive chasm.
Frey stopped.
Weathered planks and cracked stone formed its path, held by thick ropes and iron chains that groaned in the wind. Several boards were missing entirely. Far below, the chasm floor disappeared beneath rock and shadow.
Deep enough. Some planks looked strong. Others had rotted nearly through. Anansi stopped beside him. “This is the distance between intention and drift.” Frey looked at him.
“You’ve learned where your labor disappears. Now decide where you intend to send it.”
“My labor?”
“Your coin. Your time. Your discipline.” Anansi looked across the bridge.
“Your future.” Frey stared ahead. Most of his life had never been directed. Survive this cycle.
Escape today’s exhaustion. Avoid tomorrow’s fear, movement without destination. “Most people drift long before they fail,” Anansi said. Frey stepped onto the bridge. The first plank groaned beneath his weight.
Something moved below. Frey looked down.
For an instant, the shadows seemed to arrange themselves around something familiar.
Himself.
One version sat buried beneath obligations and unfinished plans, scraps of parchment scattered around him. Another walked endlessly through crowded streets while the people around him aged.
Working.
Spending.
Surviving.
Going nowhere.
The second frightened Frey more. He recognized him.
“Undefined futures consume people slowly,” Anansi called from behind. A rope snapped taut in the wind. Frey gripped the railing.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Decide.”
“I already did.”
“Did you?”
Frey looked back.
“I want freedom, ” Anansi said nothing. “I want enough stability that fear doesn’t control every decision.” Still nothing.
“What?”
“You’re describing wishes.”
“They’re goals.”
“A goal can be tested.” Frey frowned. “How?” Anansi raised one finger. “Specific.” A second.
“Measurable.”
A third.
“Achievable.”
A fourth.
“Relevant to the life you’re actually trying to build.” Then the fifth. “Bound to time.” Frey stared at his hand.
“Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-bound.” Anansi lowered it. “Otherwise tomorrow can remain tomorrow forever.” Frey looked across the bridge. “I want to stop living one bad cycle away from borrowing.”
“How?”
“I save part of every wage.”
“How much?” Frey hesitated. Numbers were harder than intentions. Numbers could prove him wrong. He thought about the budget they had written in the Market District and named an amount.
Anansi nodded.
“Until?”
“Until I can survive one full cycle without borrowing.”
“By when?”
Frey stared across the chasm. Saying it aloud would give failure a date.
“Six cycles.”
“Can you do it?” Frey calculated again. Not what he wished he could save. What he actually could. He lowered the amount.
“Yes.” Anansi nodded toward the bridge. “Then move.” Frey looked ahead. The gaps remained. The rotten boards remained. The chasm remained. But now he could see a route. He stepped forward. The bridge groaned.
Another step.
Below, the wandering version of himself continued through the streets. “I want to learn how money works.”
“That isn’t a goal,” Anansi called. Frey nearly laughed. “Of course it isn’t.” He thought. “I’ll record every coin I earn and spend for the next cycle.”
“And?” Frey touched the journal inside his satchel.
“At the end, I’ll know exactly where my labor went.”
“Better.” The Wanderer below flickered. Frey reached the broken center of the bridge. The gap ahead was wider than the others. Beyond it waited solid planks.
He could turn back.
For a moment, he wanted to. Anansi had gone silent. Frey looked over his shoulder. The older man stood where Frey had left him.
Waiting.
“You could at least tell me if I can make it.”
“I could.”
“And?”
“I won’t.”
“Why?”
Anansi’s expression remained unreadable.
“Because eventually you’ll have to cross something without me.” The words landed strangely. Before Frey could ask why, another gust struck the bridge. He looked ahead. Measured the gap.
Then jumped.
His boots struck wood hard enough to send pain through his knees.
The plank held.
Frey grabbed the rope and laughed once, startled by the sound and, then kept moving.
Step by deliberate step, the opposite side drew closer.
The images beneath him disappeared. First the Frey buried beneath unfinished intentions. Then the Wanderer.
Frey reached solid ground. For several seconds, he stood there. The future had not become certain. His next step had.
Anansi crossed after him with irritating ease. The bridge had groaned beneath every step Frey took. Frey couldn’t remember hearing it groan beneath Anansi once. Frey stared at him. “You could’ve crossed that easily the entire time?” Anansi adjusted his robe.
“I wasn’t the one who needed the lesson.” He reached into his robes and removed a worn piece of parchment divided by faint lines.
Blank.
Waiting.
“What’s this?”
“A beginning.”
“Write your goal.”
“I already said it.”
“Words disappear.” Frey looked at him. Anansi’s eyes settled on the parchment. “Write it.”
Frey almost smiled. “My father used to say that.” Something changed in Anansi’s face.
Barely.
Gone before Frey could place it. “He wrote often?” Frey looked down at the parchment. “More than anyone I knew.” Anansi said nothing. “What?”
“Write.”
Frey lowered the parchment against his journal. The amount he would save.
Six cycles.
The purpose.
Then what he would track until he got there. Anansi watched his hand move across the page. Not like a teacher waiting for the correct answer. Like someone waiting to see what Frey would do with it. When Frey finished, Anansi tapped the parchment. “A goal you refuse to measure can lie to you indefinitely.”
Frey studied the figures. “So measurement makes me free?” Something shifted in Anansi’s expression. “Measurement is only a tool.” His eyes remained on Frey’s writing.
“It depends who is holding it.”
Then he walked away.
Frey read what he had written again.
For once, freedom wasn’t merely a word someone else had defined for him.
It had a number.
A deadline.
A next step.
He folded the parchment into his journal. Far below, thousands of people moved from Auld Haven toward destinations Frey couldn’t see.
He wondered how many were trying to reach the same place without knowing it.
He didn’t know why the question stayed with him.
He wrote it down anyway.
Frey’s Journal: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
Give the Future a Measurable Destination
A usable financial goal requires a purpose, an amount, and a deadline. Divide the target by the number of months available to calculate the basic monthly contribution. If that amount is unrealistic, change the target, timeline, income, or spending plan.
Track progress and keep near-term money safer than long-term money. A measurable destination converts “save more” into a scheduled action.
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
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. 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 unexpected expenses from derailing other plans.- 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. Saving will help you work toward your goals consistently without relying solely on willpower.
3. Achievable
Your goals should stretch your abilities but remain realistic. Do you know whether 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.
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.
4. Relevant
Your goals must align with your broader life ambitions and current priorities. 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.
Entry: Cycle 3, Phase 1, Solar Arc 218
I have spent most of my life saying I wanted freedom.
I never gave it a number.
Maybe that was safer.
Something undefined can never prove you failed.
My father wrote things down because memory changes.
I think I understand another reason now.
What isn’t written can be changed by whoever tells the story later.
So I will write mine.
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 steps can help you tailor a plan to your unique needs and achieve your goals more efficiently.
Audio: 5.1
Frey had barely closed the journal when voices rose from the road below.
A merchant was changing the price of bread. A customer screamed, “It went up yesterday.”
Frey looked at the goal he had just written. For the first time, he had a plan for tomorrow. He hadn’t considered that tomorrow might change the value of what he saved.