Try a Simple Approach to Goal-Setting

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Try a Simple Approach to Goal-Setting

goal_settingSimple steps lead to clarity

For some of us, goal-setting seems to be a mystery, but it doesn’t have to be. There is a simple approach that can keep you on track for setting and achieving your goals.

Most people tend to think that goal-setting needs to be a massive, time-consuming venture that requires deep philosophical discussions: what are my priorities; what do I want in life; what is important to me, etc. The challenge is that we often don’t have the time to devote to such an effort.

Don’t ignore those big questions, but keep in mind that one of the problems with massive goal-setting for an individual is that it is often a very large reach. Now, think of all the different areas of your life: work, professional advancement, home, family, marriage/relationship, community service, education, faith/spiritual, health, recreation, personal growth, etc.

There is a simple way to achieve clarity through all the clutter. Which of these items is causing you the greatest stress? Pick that one as your priority. Now you can start.

Do a simple brain dump of all the ideas and issues related to that topic. Let’s say it’s about career. List everything you can think of related to your career: obstacles, options, job changing, education, training, relocation, etc. Don’t take more than 15-20 minutes. Let that sit for an hour or two. The next time you have a break, look over the list. By then, you’ll probably add some more items to the list. Let that sit for the rest of the day.

Setting Priorities

The next day, start sorting out the list. You can do it by groups, themes, time, interest, etc. For example, I might sort my list of career issues by which I think are most promising to help my career, which would lead to more pay or which would help me retire earlier. That would also help me put them in order of importance. I would list them in priority. Some might not even make the final list. For example, let’s say my priority was retiring early. Going back for a new degree would actually delay my retirement. That’s off the list. Let that list sit for a couple of days.

The next day or week, when you get back to the list, reorder it based on which goals are the easiest to accomplish. The easiest ones go on top, the more difficult ones go at the bottom. Now it’s time to take action. Start working on the first one. Give it some careful thought and set a deadline for making that first goal happen. Go to work. Track your progress. Mark it on a calendar. Once you achieve that first success, it’s time to reassess.

Look at your list and reorder it based on which item will have the greatest impact. I wouldn’t necessarily pick the top one, but I would likely pick one in the middle. The reason I wouldn’t pick the top one is that that one is likely the hardest and most time-intensive one. I want to pick one that is substantial but doable. Again, track the progress, and mark it on the calendar.

Once you’ve done those two, you can start working on the rest of the list. You can also start addressing the other issues you identified at the beginning. Goal-setting does not have to be a long process. It is more important that it be an effective and productive process. Don’t try to handle it as one big block. Break it down into manageable chunks. That is the only way to manage anything important.

 

Arnoldo Mata heads Leadership Resource Group and has more than 30 years of experience in leadership training and development. Leadership Resource Group works with nonprofits, governments and private businesses on strategic planning projects that provide focus and direction for organizational growth. He also provides training and services in creativity and ideation.

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