Be a goal-getter: Framework helps guide pursuit of your aims

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This article was published 02/01/2016 (3741 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Well, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are almost over.

For many it is a favourite time of year; time to spend with family and friends, time to share love and gifts of appreciation.

It is also the time when many of us start to think about shaping our future for the upcoming year.

And that means thinking about and writing down those good old New Year’s resolutions.

Yet at the same time, we all know from experience that while our intentions are good, our persistence and dedication to the cause are not, and so our resolutions soon fall by the wayside. I am sure it happens to most people — for instance, my mother used to say her middle name was, “was gonna”!

Yet why does this happen? Why do we start the new year off with such good intentions only to slip and slide within a few months and then abandon the goal only to start again the following year? Perhaps the answer lies in how we go about this annual ritual.

I believe many people think goal-setting is simply a matter of stating an intention, such as going on a diet and losing weight, taking a course and/or doing a better job of staying in touch with distant family members or friends.

Unfortunately, these thoughts are nothing more than dreams until a framework and structure are built around them to help create the reality you are seeking. However, goal-setting is not as easy as it seems, and if not effectively developed, your goals will again fall by the wayside.

So, let’s examine each element of a goal-setting framework.

Be specific — being specific means describing the what, why and how of your goal. For instance, “by June 2017, I will have applied for leadership roles and successfully achieved my first role as a front-line supervisor.” Stating a specific time frame is important because it creates a consciousness that will help to drive your energy toward the goal.

Be realistic — in reviewing where you currently are in your journey, you may find your resumé is not up to date, your experience is too limited and/or there are other barriers that will impede success. In other words, you are not ready, so goal dates need to be moved forward and further remedial action must be taken.

Take action — stop and identify the specific actions that must be taken in order to overcome the barriers you identified. Each of these become mini-goals that will take you closer to your long-term goal.

Resources — examine what resources, supports and specific help you will need to overcome barriers and meet your goals. How will you acquire the help you need? Identify these requirements and be specific with the “how to.”

Measures — identify not only how you will judge and measure the outcomes of success with your long-term goal, but identify mini-measures for each and every step of the way. This keeps you focused, on track and experiencing the sense of satisfaction that will serve as a motivator to continue.

Re-evaluate and adjust — it is amazing how many little things will get in the way of your long-term goal. Continually monitor your goals, actions and accomplishments and re-adjust as needed. Be sure to read and/or touch base with your goals and objectives on a regular basis so any re-adjustment is also timely.

Reward yourself — establish small but meaningful rewards for yourself as you overcome each barrier and move toward your larger goal. Search out photos of success that link to your goals and post them in highly visible places. Sometimes just looking at a photo of the end goal is reward enough to keep you going.

Be persistent — life is life, so there will always be something that can knock you off your goal. Therefore, be focused and persistent. Have the courage to say no and/or to make a change in your goal, but stay focused.

Success — although you may have celebrated successful milestones, it is also important to celebrate the achievement of your long-term goal. Whether this is simply hanging that new diploma on the wall and/or celebrating at a high-end restaurant — do it!

Assess success — for many of us, setting a goal and achieving it teaches us many life lessons. Take time to review your journey and assess what worked and what challenges confronted you. Look at each situation as a learning opportunity. What insights did you gain from your experience? You’ll be surprised at the strengths and skills you found within yourself.

Develop a habit — setting personal goals shouldn’t be limited to the new year; in fact, goal-setting should become a habit because habits play a key role in how our lives unfold. If you learn and apply a framework for goal-setting, you will become accustomed to writing specific goals. This in turn will soon become one of your good habits that will impact your long-term success. It will become an automatic behaviour.

Make your own luck — luck is nothing more than being in the right place at the right time, and this is accomplished by setting goals and working through the action steps that will take you there. At the same time, be sure you are doing the things you enjoy and you are best at. Then your habits not only bring success but a strong sense of accomplishment that helps your self-confidence soar to great heights.

Apply goal-setting to your work — setting a work goal shouldn’t be much different than setting a personal goal. Use this goal framework, be sure to ask for the resources needed, build in measures of success and get to work. But be sure there is an emotional attachment to the goal; in other words, a work goal must really be yours, otherwise you won’t feel a sense of commitment and the goal will be difficult to achieve.

 

Barbara J. Bowes, FCHRP, CMC, CCP, M.Ed is president of Legacy Bowes Group and is the author of six books. She is also a professional speaker, executive coach and management consultant. She can be reached at barb@legacybowes.com.