Step 1 – List the Desires that Will Be Used to Define Your Goals
Listing Your Desired Goals – Part 1
At least once or more a week you can find me in either Starbucks or Barnes & Nobles. The reason why has to do with what the environment promotes. They both have an atmosphere for getting work done. Simply being around others who are working motivates me to work. The question is what are those people working on and, for that matter, what am I working on? Whether those seated next to me or not, know this, they are working on something they chose or desired to get done, a goal so to speak.
Now that we’ve gone through all the details and the background of what makes up a goal and the definition of a goal (see What Would You Like to See?), let’s go through the practical steps. Let’s begin to put this into practice and create the type of goals you truly intend, desire, wish to achieve, and are currently active in accomplishing. In this installment, I want to talk about the mechanics of building your list of desired actions you would be working on if you joined us in Starbucks or Barnes & Nobles.
In developing your goals, I like to think of them in two groups: 1) Your desires at a high level and 2) A detailed plan for each of the desires (goals). Today, we will begin with making a list of all your goals at a high level. We will start the process with Step 1 – Listing the Desires that Will Be Used to Define Your Goals.
List All Your Desires to Identify the Goals You Have
- Set the proper environment.
Locate a place and get into a frame of mind conducive for this exercise. When you sit down to write out your desires, you need to be in a proper mindset. You don’t need to be stressed, nor binge watching your favorite show, nor in a place where there are lots of interruptions. Find or locate a place where your mind is open to think. - Dump your desires out onto the page.
Next you will need to do what I call a brain-dump. Take out a pen and paper and just write down everything that you want to accomplish. What is it you WANT to do? Write it down, whether it is in complete sentences or in statements. Do whatever it takes to get it out of your head and onto paper. Ask yourself over and over, what do I want to see? Get that stuff out of your head. What is it that you want to accomplish?
Here’s one clever tip. It is helpful to think of your desires in areas that make sense to you. Maybe you want to have goals for your career, for your marriage, for your home, for your children, for your church, for your community, for the country, for your parents, or for your siblings, etc. Write them all down. What do you WANT to do for each?
This brain dump is intended to get everything out of you that you desire or ever wanted to do in life. This list will become the master list of your goals, dreams, desires, and aspirations that are truly yours and yours alone. - Don’t worry about what it looks like.
You cannot have someone else’s dreams. That is not possible. Your dreams are yours. Your desires are yours. Whatever it is, put it on this list. It does not matter how long or even how short it is. It is your list and for your eyes only unless you deem it necessary to show someone else. - Consider this your working document.
A “working document” is a document that is never quite complete. In this case, it is not a document or list that can’t be changed, modified, updated, or improved. That is why we call it a working document. It is meant to be altered as needed. Because these are your desires and your ideas, the wording won’t ever be perfect. In fact, it will never be complete because you are constantly evolving and changing.
Your work document is not like a book that cannot be changed after it has been printed. This document (for you) is a living, breathing document in which you intend on making modifications to it. Your goals, your dreams, your aspirations are moving just like you are. They are targets that quite often move. - Don’t get caught up in the details.
The details come later. This portion is for high level goals. In the next section, we can get into the details and break the desired goals apart. For now, the task is to get it all out of your head and on to paper at a high level.
Now that you have the concept, it is time to put it into action. You can get more involved at a later scheduled time of your choosing, but for now take out your smartphone and open your notes app to a blank page. Jot down 3 or more desires you have right now. Don’t make this complicated, just start with 3 and let it propel you into doing more. Once you have done this, you have begun the process and to finish you will need to find a place conducive for the exercises and begin to draft out your next-level life. Congratulations, you have started.
Questions: How many desires do you have that we will be able to use towards setting goals?
[su_note note_color="#FFFFFF" text_color="#000000"]The Family Plan Binder
is available now!
Our team has worked very hard putting it together. We designed it to help you and your family move the needle forward in making your life your business.
Find out more about the Family plan here.[/su_note]
