I HATE Goal Setting

I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of traditional goal setting as I feel like it can make us very rigid in our thinking.

And the second we feel like we won’t hit a goal, we stop trying.

Or we realize halfway through our goals aren’t…well, aren’t what we really need or want to accomplish so we give up on doing anything.

Or we then don’t hold ourselves accountable toward the goals we should actually be working toward.

I remember one year Ryan and I said we would make a new course each month because we thought this would add value.

I quickly realized this just led to me rushing through things and didn’t actually help my clients, nor my business, more than slowing down.

More than not doing as much.

I realized I’d, yes, set a “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based) goal but it wasn’t very well thought out.  

The WHY wasn’t there.

It’s why I think it’s key we know the end goal we want to reach, but also find ways to be flexible in how we get there.

We need to remember the true WHY even if we sometimes aren’t even sure how we will ultimately reach that end.

We need to find ways to accept that certain experiments won’t pan out as we give ourselves some flexibility in our goals.

So while I’m all for setting goals, I think the key more than specifics is really understanding the WHY behind things.

Because so often we fail in reaching our goal because we don’t make it a priority.

We have to remember though, we prioritize what matters most to us.

If we want to reach our goals, we have to make them matter. And then, we’ll prioritize doing the things we need even when times get busy or we’re stressed out and tired.

So instead of focusing on how you’re going to even measure your goal, the timeline to complete it or even how “specific” you make it, instead focus on really diving in to why you want to accomplish this goal enough to be uncomfortable and sacrifice…and even what those obstacles will be.

If you’re looking to set some goals this year, here’s some things to consider….

#1: Why Is This Goal Important?

What is the pain in NOT having this accomplished?

Why is this goal so important you want to prioritize these habits even during tough times?

What does this goal truly mean to you beyond the obvious?

How could this goal improve OTHER areas of your life?

Basically why are the sacrifices work it (even recognizing the sacrifices you may have to make along the way)!

#2: What habits will help you move toward this goal and why do you believe these habits will get you there?

So often we pick a fad diet or quick fix and it doesn’t pan out.

It’s because we just choose the habits because they are “supposed” to work. We don’t dive into why they would work for US though.

One size doesn’t fit all and we have to be open to experimentation BUT the best way to really then figure out what works is to understand why a habit COULD work so we can then, if it doesn’t, adjust accordingly and accurately.

#3: What obstacles will stand in your way?

Face this. Acknowledge them.

By doing this you’ll be more prepared for anything that does pop up because you don’t expect the change to be easy.

Cause guess what?

It never will be!

The more we want something, often the more it feels like life tries to stop us from getting there!

#4: How will you keep yourself consistent and what end dates/check ins will you do?

Results take time and too often we simply don’t see results because we get caught up in one bad measurement, one off day, and we give up.

We also don’t stay consistent because we don’t step back to look at the overall picture and whether we are day in and day out doing the things we should.

How will you review these things and give yourself perspective?

We also don’t set other things to measure that would allow progress to build while we may not fully see the end result accumulating even though it is?

Because often we stop because we don’t “feel” like results are happening even though we are.

OR we keep going not even realizing something is off yet expect a different result.

How will you provide a guide to actually implement a program and give it time while not just allowing yourself to repeat the same mistakes expecting a different result?

SUMMARY:

If you want to set goals you’ll ultimately reach, you’ve got to be flexible in how you reach them and even when. Because nothing goes as planned.

BUT you have to have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish and why you want it.

And you need to give yourself guidelines along the way to see how you’re progressing.

This year set goals you’ll actually reach by focusing on these 4 things!