Basics of Next Level Goal Setting
Goal Setting for Everyday Use – Part 1
Everyone has goals, everyone has desires, and we are all working towards something. The problem we face is, we have been ineffective with them. We have let them slip. We let them get away from us. We have made the process of setting goals so cumbersome that we do not want to engage in the effort unless forced.
I bring this to you after being in a mentoring conversation with a friend of mine. The question that was on the table was around defining what goal setting looks like and identifying goals to set. Just so you know those are two separate questions. Therefore, I felt like we needed to discuss it and that is what we did. What I realized in that moment is that most people (51% and better), the average people, have no idea of what the term really means.
We hear the term “goal” and “goal setting” in our jobs and in our professional careers, but what does it look like at home or (most importantly) in everyday life? You might be wondering, should I set goals at home? Bringing it home made me take out my notes and begin to create this content just for you.
Here are two familiar terms I bet you have come across a time or two: SMART goals and SMARTER goals. While I can not imagine someone trying to remember the actions that go along with both and sitting down to perform the task, proves that the whole concept has become so bloated that I have begun to hate the word goals, altogether. That might be where you find yourself as well. With that said, I have four keys to share when it comes to the subject of goal setting that might simplify the idea behind goals in the first place. Side-note: there is no need for you to memorize this at all because the concept of goal setting is a whole lot easier than you think.
1 – A goal is asking, what would you like to see?
How we redefine the word “goals” can be found in this one simple question. This new outlook on the word “goals” is going to transform your life, your family, and everything you do. From this point forward, a goal is simply, what would you like to see? Anytime you get ready to set goals, ask yourself this question. What would I like to see now? Then, write that thought down on paper.
2 – Identifying goals is like you asking God what you desire to see in every aspect of your life.
If you had the opportunity to speak with God and He asked what you would like to see in your life, then one by one as you spoke those desires appeared, would you ever stop? The answer is not hardly, this is what identifying goals is. It is like you asking God what you desire to see in every aspect of your life, not just the business of living. Defining what you want to see should be enjoyable because it is what you want. Now, write down what you want.
3 – Determine the endpoint of your desire: where you are now and where you desire to be.
Here is where we are. If we are going to get from one place to a new place, it is no different than how one uses his or her GPS. It knows your current location and then you must define your desired destination (what you want to see). Your goals are your desired destinations which require a journey that takes you from where you are to the place you desire to be. Next, for each of your goals, describe what the endpoint looks like to your satisfaction.
4 – Begin the journey that places you on the roadway to your desired life.
The how-do-get from our current location to our desired destination becomes clearer when we define the two endpoints. So, we developed a plan in which we can get from where we are to where we want to be. That changed how we looked at goals. The easiest approach is to take a goal, just take one goal, and attack only one goal each month if that is what it takes. Last, define the path that will get you to your desired destination.
Don’t try to overload yourself. If you are setting goals or making plans, the objective is not to make it hard, but to make it easy. Goals are there to make your life easy, better, and push you to the next level. Doing so will make you excited to set goals. It is the way to make your life what you desire for life to be.
Question: What has been keeping you from reaching your goals, your dreams, your pursuits?
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