To Goal or Not to Goal? (Part 2)

A confession and a contrast

Many of you responded to the previous issue and are busy forming your goals.  I have a confession to make.  I did not set goals this year!  Lest you think I’m some kind of “goals hypocrite,” allow me to explain.  In essence, I still have personal and business goals which I am pursuing.  It’s just that I didn’t write them down formally this time.  I am progressing with the vision and goals I created last year and allowing them to continue to guide me. So, it is not that I am without goals; it’s just that I am proceeding with less structure.  For me, a planner by nature, this is progress.  It finds me making intuitive choices and tapping into: flexibility—spontaneity—present-mindedness.  I continue to use my natural strengths of organization, planning, and breaking it down… just in a more relaxed way.

Contrast this with a client of mine.  A business owner and entrepreneur, his natural way of operating is with a great deal of spontaneity.  His desire was to harness this strength and grow his ability to methodically execute a plan.  So for him, progress included introducing more structure.  He was thrilled to make specific goals, write them down, and incorporate milestones and measurements to track.  This is helping him integrate: focus—discipline—decisiveness.  It is giving him satisfaction to intentionally select the most important things to work on each day.  His vision and sense of purpose are stronger.

One size does not fit all

Just as no one fitness plan works for everyone, there is no single goals diet.  Looking at the two examples above, the point is not to reject your natural way of being.  It’s simply that there is something to learn by incorporating new approaches as well.  What are your strengths?  What has worked successfully for you before?  What new approaches are you willing to try?

Goals with breathing room

Whether your strength is planning or taking it as it comes, create goals with breathing room.  Understand that goals are there for one reason and one reason only: to serve you!  The only reason to have any vision, goal, or plan is for how it impacts your thoughts and actions in the present.

Goals are there to remind you where you are headed, and it’s not a straight line from here to there.  Make your goals and plans and then allow them to be edited.  Your mission: Find a way to be focused and flexible.

3 Tips, as you set your goals

Last time, I distributed 8 Tips for Creating Living Goals to those of you who requested them.  Here they are, boiled down to three:

1. Make sure you want —really want— your goals.  Get to the heart of what you are truly after.
2. Give yourself breathing room.  Use the degree of structure that supports your growth and complements your style and strengths.
3. Picture that goal coming to fruition.  Make sure this vision is bright enough to inspire you and compel you to purposeful action.