How to set powerful goals
Goal setting is a task which every business (and person) should complete when trying to identify their targets. Not only does it put into clarity what you want to achieve, but it also allows you to break down how you will get there. And there are certain tactics you can use to make your goals more achievable. We outline just a few in this blog.
Why set goals?
First, let’s think about why we need to set goals?
Having a goal in mind gives both direction and focus. It helps prioritise the most important tasks at each stage of the process and allows you to filter out irrelevant sensory information, keeping your mind focused and alert.
With this clarity, you can begin putting in the initial steps towards your goal which will generate the movement needed to progress. And once you’ve started, you may find that those initial steps begin to build a momentum of their own, snowballing further toward your goal.
Many of us already have an idea of what we want to achieve in our lifetime, whether it be to increase company turnover to X amount, to run a marathon, or to own a house. Having a goal can shape the person we become. All these tasks take several different steps to achieve. Knowing where we want to get to, can enable us to set smaller incremental steps to reach our potential, allowing us to grow and overcome what we think is possible.
Looking ahead: the types of goals to set
Knowing where you’re ultimately aiming is great, but if your objectives leading up to this aren’t aligned, then you’ll find yourself zig-zagging between inconsequential tasks on your way there. Instead, consider your goals holistically.
Break down what you’re trying to achieve into 10-year, 5-year, 3-year and 1-year goals. You can go into even more detail for the short-term, but we find these are the ones to focus on when choosing your direction. Normally, when clients initially plan out their goals, it’s common for one goal to link into the next, but they don’t all align.
You want your 1-year goal to help give you a foothold to achieving your 3-year goal, but also, your 10-year goal. Tweak your focus so that every stage links neatly together.
Smart goals – what does that really mean?
SMART is an acronym which can help ensure your goals are as achievable as possible. It stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results, Timeframe. And a goal should meet all of these factors to make it the most effective. How?
S – By making your goal specific, you’ll know exactly what it is your targeting.
M – Having a metric you can use to measure success will help you pinpoint the exact moment you achieved your goal. Plus, you can see yourself getting slowly closer, which can act as a big confidence boost!
A -Thirdly, your goal should be achievable. There’s no point setting a goal you’ll never be able to meet. Make it attainable and you’ll find far more motivation to complete it.
R– Results are an important consideration too. What will happen for you to know you’ve achieved your goal? What will it look like? And how will you stay on track to get there?
T – And finally, timeframe. Set yourself a date to have reached your goal by. If you’ve used the yearly model to set your goals, then this will have already ticked off your timeframe consideration.
In fact, make your goal a SMARTY goal. Know what Your reward will be when you manage to achieve your goal. It could be as simple as treating yourself to your favourite chocolate bar, or more elaborate like taking your family on a special holiday. Making your rewards vocal, especially if family are involved, can act as a renewed motivator too.
Realistic goal setting for the Procrastinator
With so many other aspects of life vying to take our focus, it’s easy to stray from our goals. Now, if you’re not a procrastinator, you may not be able to relate to this, but you may find some similarities, even if you don’t think you fall into this trap very often!
Tim Urban from https://waitbutwhy.com/ did a Ted talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU) where he used an analogy to describe how a procrastinator achieves their goals or targets. Tim names three parts of the brain. The rational decision-maker, the instant gratification monkey and the panic monster.
The rational decision-maker is usually in charge, making the decisions rationally. However, the instant gratification monkey can take over, and when he does, he’s only interested in short-term gains which are enjoyable, but not productive. When a deadline comes into play, the panic monster wakes up, making a big fuss, and scaring the monkey away. Giving control back to the rational decision-maker. However, at this point we’re now in a state of panic, rushing to meet the deadline.
So, the challenge is, how to tame the monkey? By setting regular smaller deadlines, you have a more managed timeline, enabling you to more smoothly work towards your goal, without the big fuss at the end. The reason it’s important to tame the monkey is because he stops you doing all the tasks which are important but not urgent. You’ll simply never get around to them if you rely on your panic monster to keep the monkey in check. And it’s all the things which lie in this region which are often what drives us forward in life.
The power of why
Knowing why you want to achieve a goal can be all the motivation you need to actually achieve it. Typically, people have one (or more) of five reasons for wanting to reach a goal.
Recognition – For others to acknowledge what you have achieved.
Feeling – You want to experience a certain feeling or emotion when you achieve your goal. Perhaps you experienced it before and want to again.
Family – Reaching a goal for your loved ones can be a huge influence. Maybe you want to treat them, provide something they otherwise couldn’t experience, whatever it is, having family as a motivator can be highly incentive.
Benevolence – The desire to give something back. To complete a goal in order to benefit another.
Nitty-gritty reasons – These cover a range of reasons and may be for things you’re not particularly proud of. Think anger, humiliation, or proving someone wrong.
Apply your why to your SMART goals, and you make them DUMB as well. Dreamled. Uplifting. Meaningful. And Behavioural change. Your goals will be highly personal to you, and following your dream, which has meaning on your life, and will make you change your behaviours to get there are the most effective.
Beware the pivot – which goals to change and when
There are some factors (such as a worldwide pandemic) which may mean you to have to adjust your goals. But it’s good to keep in mind which ones you are changing and the reasons why.
Shiny objects come along all the time to distract us, and they don’t necessarily help us achieve our goal. Be aware of which you go after, and which you let slide by, knowing that they aren’t conducive for you.
Typically, our long-term goals rarely change. However, the way we get there, our 3-year and 1-year goals may. When these do change, make sure that all the goals still align with each other, so every step benefits all your future ones too.
In summary
To others, our results may appear as a direct result of our actions, the decisions we make and the behaviours which have led to the achievement. However, it encompasses far more than that. It’s also our skills, beliefs, values and our identity which all influenced us in the first place.
Goal setting is a great way to outline how we can achieve an outcome we desire. Having a clear vision of why and what the motivation for our goal is, can make it all the easier to achieve. Knowing our inner-self and our tendencies can help us overcome barriers which may be preventing us from achieving our goals. And finally, it’s ok for goals to change. But it’s likely your 10-year goal will remain the same, so ensure the others all line up to help you grow.
We’ve just outlined the basics in this blog, for a fuller picture of how goal setting can help you reach your targets, watch the webinar here, https://oakham.actioncoach.co.uk/2020/04/24/how-to-set-better-goals-online-workshop/or get in contact.
