Creating Goals You Can Actually Follow Through On
At some point in time, we’ve all set either personal or professional goals. Some of these ideas generate a ton of energy, others may seem too lofty to actually go after, and all of us, at some point, have walked away from our goals entirely. We want the excitement of completion and the reward of the outcome, but not seeing results in a certain amount of time contributes to our loss of interest.
It’s easy to lose a sense of direction and purpose when going after your goals because more often than not, we aren’t actually grounding them into a structure that enables us to see the process through to the finish line.
What makes a goal different from a task? Goals generate truy joy and fulfillment, while tasks generate relief and spaciousness.
A task is simply an unfinished item from your to-do list, generating a sense of relief once it is completed. When you knock the little things off of your to-do list (pay invoices, fill up the gas tank, phone the aunt you’ve been meaning to call for weeks), you make some breathing room.
Goals, on the other hand, are a direct expression of your highest life priorities (to be a loving and kind family member, to be a well respected professional, to be spiritually developing, etc), and the promise you make to yourself about taking action.
Goals are a four step process with a definitive ending: you set the goal, complete it, acknowledge yourself for seeing it through, then move onto the next goal. You are focused on creating and achieving, rather than stopping something (to quit smoking is not the goal; to be physically fit and healthy is the goal, and quitting smoking is the process towards the goal).
Creating S.M.A.R.T. goals
Use the below criteria to measure if your goal is structured for success:
Specific: Is the goal clear and precise?
Measurable: How will I know I accomplished this?
Attainable: Is it a stretch but not impossible?
Relevant: Which of my life priorities does this goal reflect?
Time-based: What is the date to be accomplished?
The most important element of goal setting is that you are setting up the opportunity to demonstrate, through action, what holds meaning and purpose for you. In that sense, completing a goal is making your dream come true, and the more you have the opportunity to show yourself that you can make this happen, the more you’ll go for and complete your goals.
Focusing on where you have control over goals
“It is my goal to make Jerry give me a raise by March” → not a goal, because we have no control over other people or their actions.
“I will inquire about the necessary actions in order to receive a rase in my next meeting with Jerry” → this is a goal, as it is in your control to address the topic when you meet with Jerry.
“I will be in a great relationship” → not a goal, this is vague and open-ended.
“I will take my partner on three weekend vacations by the end of September” → this is a goal, with clear criteria and intentions.
It is inherent that who you consider yourself to be changes as you pursue your S.M.A.R.T goals, as the very act of goal setting requires courage and audacity. Your journey towards the outcome shapes your new identity, as someone who is the hero on their own journey, completely responsible for making their dreams a reality.
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