flexibility

Does anyone ever think of a goal and then work towards it and achieve exactly that goal? We talk as if that's how it works when we talk about SMART goals, but how many people do you know who have actually worked through that process and achieved their SMART goals? 

You don't achieve success or anything meaningful by having a fixed idea of what you want to achieve. It's like going to a place you've never been before. At first you can't even see it. You only know the right direction to go. Eventually it comes into view, and, as you get nearer, what you see changes purely by virtue of the fact that you're getting closer. So, the thing you're aiming for looks different as you progress towards it. 

Likewise, your goals will not look the same as you make progress. The same goal will look very different at different stages of the process of working towards it.