Goal setting in 2017 (and beyond)
You can be running a large business or simply running your own life – but one thing I believe makes both infinitely easier is to set goals.
Goal setting is a fundamental key to all success plans. What we’re essentially doing is creating the future, as we’d like it to be – and shaping our lives in a way so as to reach that future. It’s the cheapest form of time travel! Goals have the power to make us grow and develop our success. But there are some hazards to be wary of. Goals that are too big, too small or too vague are destined to end up on the trash heap of productivity. As Dr John Demartini says, only 3% of people actually achieve their goals.
Organising your goals
Here’s what goals shouldn’t be: a dreamy-eyed fountain of wishes that you don’t intend to ever work hard to achieve. What makes a goal effective is that you can measure your progress towards it. Accountability by shining a mirror on your actions is so important to gauge where you’re at. For that reason you should set goals at least twice a year, review your goals in detail at least once a month and even check on top goals daily.
Think about it like sailing. If you jump in a boat in Sydney and announce “I’m sailing to Fiji”, that’s great. But if you aren’t constantly checking your position, and adjusting your course daily, you’re likely to miss your target and either end up somewhere else, or even worse, listlessly bobbing about in the ocean, completely lost.
By reviewing your goals daily, you stay focused and accountable – on track and producing the results that will help you get to your greater goal. Repetition is the key here.
Dr John Demartini – an expert in goal setting who recently ran a workshop with me and others here in Sydney – says that If you break down your goals into smaller daily action steps then your little daily actions become big dreams. He uses the example of writing a book – by deciding on the 12 most important things you want to say and organising them into a logical sequence of chapters. Write seven most important ideas per chapter and then seven most important points per idea and watch what emerges.
Think of that book as 2017, those chapters are each month, and within it, further ideas and points in the days in weeks to help you get there.
Personally, prefer the Demartini method of goal setting, but a more simple method as outlined by Tony Robbins is set out below:
Four types of goals
- Personal development goals
These are often the ones we think of first. They’re the “New Year resolutions” of the planet. Things you’d like to improve related to personal growth. Who would you like to become? What do you want to create? What skills would you like to master? Or what would you like to learn about or accomplish? These things will directly affect you as a person – the kinds of things you could run naked from a burning building and still possess.
- Career/business/economic goals
Again, you don’t have to be running a large company. This could be to do with your own career aspirations as an individual. What do you want your net worth to be? Where would you like your career to go? What do you want to be known for in your profession? Often it’s also what age you want to be financially independent or a dollar value to achieve this. Be specific and realistic.
- Toys/adventure goals
So this is all about the material world. The sorts of things or experiences that you would like to have or like to do. That dream car or home. That Himalayan trek. It’s very likely that they will cost money, so may be linked to your economic goals – and even personal goals. There is overlap everywhere with goal setting, and that’s fine.
- Contribution goals
“Paying it forward” – the things that we do and give to help or change other people’s lives. Most importantly these goals shift the focus away from yourself and asking “what can I give?” and not “what can I get?”. I know that, for me, these are the kinds of goals I have been focusing on a lot more as The Grounds has grown and we have looked to share our expertise with others. Even this blog is a way to help. (I hope!)
After you’ve gone through your goals, it’s vital that you put a timeline on them. After all, without a deadline, goals are nothing but wistful dreams. There is also one question you should constantly be asking yourself when you create a goal, and that is “WHY?” Why do you want this outcome? It can be revealing.
Everything around you in your life right now started out at one time as a thought. You become a creator when you write down goals and are clear about why you want them. But be prepared to be honest with yourself – if you’re not, what’s the point?