What could I possibly say about setting goals, that you don’t already know?
And do I even want to – SMART goals seem to be running our lives, as we enter a new decade.
But as you focus on setting and achieving goals, do you know enough about the relationship you have with them?
In my experience, people who achieve their goals, and feel good with the outcome, have very clear rules about that relationship.
Goals fulfil the truth of who they are, and not what the world expects or requires of them. Goals serve the vision of their life, not vice versa.
Using the ‘rock, pebbles and sand’ analogy they fill the glass jar of their life with the rocks first (the important stuff), so that the pebbles and the sand (the ‘other stuff’ that keeps us busy) fits in comfortably around it.
Facilitating a goal setting process in line with this analogy is an important part of my work and some of the benefits I have witnessed are feeling of spaciousness, purpose and fulfilment.
It is not you, but the goals you set, that bring in frustration, overwhelm, and feeling of unmet needs. And the shift might just be a question away.
Feedback
In the same way the soil needs time to become fertile again after harvest, so is your creativity and productivity after achieving a goal.
Allowing yourself time to slow down, process and integrate the learnings after completing each project or goal, supercharges the next one. Also called ‘the breakfast of champions’ by K. Blanchard, feedback comes with a warning: Do not skip.
Ask yourself:
What went well? Gave you joy? Who was with you?
What didn’t go as planned? What could have been done differently?
How are you going to use what you’ve learned?
Braindump
You want to build a business that serves the live you want, not vice versa.
Starting by asking ‘Who do I want to be? ‘and ‘What kind of a life do I want?’
ensures that the list of projects or ideas you generate are in alignment with what is important and meaningful to you.
Values are known as ‘the human motivators’ and are the powerful force that see you through when things get tough. Any work aligned with what is truly important feels natural and energising.
Ask yourself:
Who do I want to be (this year)?
What kind of a life do I want (this year)?
What do I need to do to be/have that?
Prune
In the same way pruning promotes vigorous new growth, it’s vital to let go of projects or ideas that do not serve you, before wasting time and resources. Your time is precious, because your life is. If you are the only person in your business, be ruthless here.
When in doubt, tap into your body’s sensory, analytical and intuitive resources by asking:
‘Does this project feel draining or energising?’
Also, as G.Keller explains in his book ‘The one thing’ focusing on one project or idea often sorts out the rest as a natural fallout.
Ask yourself:
Does this project feel draining or energising?
Does this task have to be done by me?
What can I automate, delegate, eliminate?
What is the one thing I can do right now that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?
Align
Checking that every goal is aligned with the vision of your life right now, is the key. Setting your business goals in a vacuum, not considering what season of life you’re in, will only cause frustration, guilt and disappointment.
Ask yourself:
‘Is this goal / task aligned with what I want in my life right now’?
Beliefs
Also known as the filter through which we perceive reality, our beliefs become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you catch yourself operating from the belief that ‘I need to be constantly busy to bring in money/make a real impact’ you will most likely be …constantly busy, rushed and overwhelmed.
A simple first step is checking ‘What do I need to believe to make this easy?’ and start looking for evidence of people living this belief. What you see, might surprise you, when the filter has changed.
Ask yourself:
What do I need to believe to make (my goal) easy?
Who encompasses this belief?
Stages of change
Did you know that before we get any closer to ‘action’ any new habit or behaviour (or ditch an old unhelpful one), we go through three stages? We ‘pre-contemplate, ‘contemplate’ and ‘prepare’ and not in linear progression. The book ‘Changing for good’ by Dr Prochaska et all describes the spiral of change as 6 steps process and helps to shift the feeling of frustration into compassion.
No amount of planning will work unless you do, each day.
As you break down your monthly or quarterly goals into your daily schedule it is good to remember that the main goal is not fitting more, but more of yourself on your to do list. 2020 sounds like just the year to do that.
Reference
SMART – an acronym, used in goal setting, that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed
Rock, pebbles and sand analogy – used in time management and goal setting, illustrating importance on setting priorities first.
‘Changing for Good’ Dr James O. Prochaska and etc.
‘The One thing’, G. Keller