Effective Goal Setting: Business and Beyond
Effective
goal setting goes beyond simply setting goals for your personal business. You need to delve deeper into your personal goals and the reason WHY you are trying to achieve these goals. Most people write goals that barely scratch the surface of what they are truly capable of. Why? Because we are too afraid to really take a look into your self and discover why we want to accomplish whatever it is we are aiming for. To really be effective at
goal setting, you need to decide more than what you want to achieve in five months, and combine it with why you want to achieve it.
Before You Begin Goal Setting: Determine What Drives You
Before you get started with your goal setting, you need to figure out what drives you. Lots of people refer to this as your "why" so we will call it that from now on. Everyone has a different why, and only you can decide what it is. If you are married, it may not be the same as your spouse's, so you may each have your own why and also a why that you share. To determine your why, you need to ask yourself some questions and start dreaming again. For example:
What kind of lifestyle do you dream about?
Where would you love to live?
What is the driving force in your life?
Once you start thinking about these things, it's easy to start dreaming about the other areas as well. This should get you thinking about "WHY" you want those things. "WHY" is that so important to you? What is the reason that you get up and grind and go to work every single day? No one knows the answer to that but you. When you finally discover what it is, it might even make you emotional. That's when you know you have a successful "why".
Define Your WHY
Everyone has goals, but effective goal setting is few and far between because so few people actually take the time to write them out in detail. You need to break your long-term goals into bite size pieces, making them attainable step-by-step. Not only does this make goals easier to achieve, it feels like your goal is closer each time you achieve one of your mini goals. This is key, because if you go months or even years without progress, you aren't likely to keep going. Thing about it in terms of losing weight, it is done pound by pound; inch by inch. No one walks into a gym and loses 50lbs in a day!
Specifically, you should create goals around the "S.M.A.R.T." approach. Your goals should be:
S - Specific
M - Measureable
A - Attainable
R - Relevant
T - Time-Bound
With this principle in mind, it's time to start goal setting!
Steps of Goal Setting:
Step 1: Long-Term Goals
Long Term goals can be as long off as you see them fit. Some people may consider long-term one year, while others may view this as ten years. It really just needs to be personal and relevant to you and what you consider to be long-term.
Step 2: Medium-Term Goals
These are the steps you will take to achieve your long-term goals. For example, if my long term goal is to move to Hawaii, my medium-term goal might include saving a certain amount of money, securing a job in the area, or profiting from a business, and selecting a place to live.
Step 3: Short-term goals
These are going to be the steps you take to reach your medium-term goals. They need to be easy to achieve and done quickly. Continuing my example above, to reach my goal of securing a job in the area, I need to complete my resume and research jobs in the area I want to move. These are two simple, achievable micro goals that will get me on the road towards attaining one of my medium term goals.
Goal Setting Success
Once you write out your goals, it’s important to put them somewhere you will see them every day for optimal goal setting success. Place them on the fridge, on your nightstand or dresser, and on your bathroom mirror. Seeing them will remind you every day the necessary steps you need to take to reach your long term goals.
To Your Success,
- Brian
