1. Up-to-date Values
Demands in the
workplace are constantly changing; our family’s needs and children's activities are in flux. When you look closely at your goals, do they actually reflect your current values?
I always conduct a values activity with my clients to identify what are
their current, strongest values. Values
are a funny thing when we’re talking about goals. Believe it or not, they change at different
times and phases of our life. And, if our
goals aren’t reflecting the values that are most important to us at a given
time, we’re likely not to achieve
them!
2. Aspired Future
Have you ever
heard a friend or colleague say, “My goal this year is to make twice what I
made last year.”? Well, that’s terrific
if they’re willing to work possibly twice as many hours, drastically change
their work habits or, land a big client that is going to generate a revenue
windfall. While this can happen, what is not revealed
is that for the goal to be achieved, it must clearly move us toward our vision of the future. And, if you want to
spend more time with your family or actively participate in your hobbies this
year, you also need a goal to reflect that.
Think about all the parts that are present in your desired future and create your goal(s) so that it helps you close the gap between here and there.
3. Growth to Achieve
People don’t
usually talk about all the hard work that actually goes into achieving their
goals. But, we know that when we achieve
a goal that we’ve set, we worked diligently and pushed ourselves to get
there! One of my teachers, Dr.
Jeffrey Auerbach, Ph.D., articulated the “balance of challenge and support”
necessary for development. I use this
very successfully with my clients, toward the achievement of their goals. We have to push ourselves to get out of our
comfort zone and get motivated, to make the necessary changes. We also need to bolster ourselves along the
way, to feel the satisfaction and encouragement of our efforts.
4. Effective Strategies
How do you know
if the practices or procedures you implemented are in fact moving you closer to
the achievement of your goal? Have you
ever wondered, “How close am I, exactly, to achieving my goal?” Monitoring our progress and evaluating the
effectiveness of our strategies are critical steps. Sure, sometimes we get lucky and are
intuitively so in sync with our goal that we meet it without this; but, the
rest of the time we need to do everything in our power by noticing at what
times and during what activities do we get greater movement toward our goal. Then, we set strategic dates to review our practices and procedures to determine
if they are really the best fit for us to achieve our target. The objective is to catch potential problems during Step 4, modify the strategies where needed, and achieve the goal by the date you have set.
5. Hitting the Target
The time of the
goal has arrived! You’ve accomplished it
and will reap the benefits that this success yields. Take the time to reflect and celebrate this
achievement! You’ve worked hard, learned
things along the way and, have strengthened your skills and confidence. Make sure you allow yourself thoughtful
contemplation of these assets so that the progress is not in vain and it supports
you for future growth. It may sound
cliché to celebrate or reward yourself for your achievement but, remember the
line in The Shining, “All work and no
play makes Jack a dull boy.”... What if,
however, you didn’t achieve the goal?
Now, is the opportunity for even greater learning. Thoroughly study your actions and strategies
and figure out what went wrong. Go back
to the drawing board and devise a new plan with new tactics, so that you can achieve your goal!
Happy Goal Setting!
Executive Intelligent Coaching Team
Happy Goal Setting!
Executive Intelligent Coaching Team
