Don’t Be Afraid to Engage with a Long-Term Goal

Sizing it Up

When I find myself having the same conversation in the same week with different people, that’s often my cue to share the topic with you. This happened recently with two people of different generations: one a Gen Xer and one a millennial.

The Gen Xer is a psychotherapist and the millennial is an engineer. Each has decided to pursue a new credential and, in both cases, registering for a training program is the next step toward a longer-term vision.

For the psychotherapist, it’s about evolving her private practice and bringing her expertise to a larger audience: speaking, teaching, and creating content.

For the engineer, signing up for more serious culinary courses is building on an interest. She is putting aside having to know whether the training will be for her own enjoyment as a foodie or will actually result in a career change down the road.

Long-term goals are as daunting as they are exciting. In speaking with both women, the pivotal moment was accepting the challenge of engaging with a big goal: reconciling the fact that the goal will take some time and exactly where it will lead is unknown.

Big goals are there for us in every decade of our lives. Thoughts of being too young, too old, or too busy are just part of what must be surmounted.

Making it Official

Prior to investing your time, money, or energy in a long-term endeavor, think it over. I don’t advocate enrolling in programs as a hasty attempt to answer the “now what?” question or just for the sake of acquiring another credential. You want to be clear on your reasons for pursuing something and make sure it feels right to you.

If the alignment and desire are there, and if you keep coming back to the idea you’ve been toying with in your mind, there comes a time for action.

The usual concerns can only be assessed as best you can, from where you stand now: Do I want to do this? Am I able to do it? Can I make room for this? Will I stay motivated?

This pre-launch deliberation is very important. It’s when you are: gathering the courage; going on record; granting yourself permission; realizing that you’re ready enough; and ultimately, declaring it a project.

Whether methodically or intuitively, these are the phases you’re moving through in order to officially engage with your big goal.

And It’s Launched!

As you move from deliberation to decision and action, it helps to remind yourself of the following:

• You get to adjust your pace as you go along. Engaging with a big goal will mean making space for it, but it doesn’t necessarily require you to drop everything at once. There will be time for incremental steps and big leaps; just be sure to keep moving. Keep picturing it. Plan a few steps and take action. For example, last January I “officially launched” a book-writing project. When I factored in the year’s coaching engagements and travel, I decided the appropriate goal was to start the book. By the end of the year, I had organized all my notes, clarified the book’s key messages, created an outline, developed a writing format, and started writing. This year, I’m allocating more time and expanding my writing schedule.
• You’ll check in with yourself along the way to confirm the goal still fits, that you still want it, and that it’s still the right direction for you. As you progress, you’ll continue to ask yourself: What is it time for now?

This Week’s Call To Action:

• What big goal keeps tapping you on the shoulder?
• What lets you know that you are ready to take action?

Most things that are worth doing in life take a while. You have to be bold and patient to be in the current!

Don’t be afraid to engage with a long-term goal
or be put off by how long it might take.
The time goes by anyway, so you might as well be
working on something you care about,
are interested in, and that brings you joy.