Goal Setting... REALLY???

Ah Goal Setting!  What thoughts go off in your head when you hear this expression?

For some this is a painful and boring thought of doing the tedious job of thinking up admirable goals and then not achieving them.  Thus, feeling like a failure every year.  So I can understand why many people still do not set goals and write them out regularly.  I would like to have you look at it a bit differently this time.  And for those that do the exercise of setting goals, this is a reminder that it is time to do it again or check in on how you are doing.

I do have to agree with some.  It really does get boring hearing about goal setting every year.  I first began setting goals while in college.  It was in the 80’s and it was becoming a hot topic at the same time when time management became trendy.  I was all gung-ho about setting goals and writing mission statements and then I let it go for a long, long, time.  Marriage and kids took most of my time and I squeezed in a job there too.  So that was it.  Why set goals?  I have no time.

Well, I have come full circle.   Perhaps it is the business I am in or that my kids are getting a bit older and more independent that I am focusing on this again.  Or even more so is that I am finding so many people that are not setting any goals that it frustrates me to no end.  We all have to have goals.  Even if we haven’t written them down.  We have desires in our hearts, don’t we?  But how to see those desires or dreams come into being?   Yes, you got it.  We need to set goals.

Here are my recommendations for goal setting that hopefully will make it less stressful for you.  Because really, the act of setting goals and following up WILL make a difference in your life - if you let it.

Ok, are you ready?  Here it is.  There are various areas in our lives that deserve our time and attention.  And by attention I am saying to regularly evaluate how are you doing in this area.  I recommend to my clients to begin making plans for the next calendar year in early November.  Some like the focus of the school calendar.  You pick, whichever fits your life the best, go with it.

Areas worth setting goals:

Spiritual

Health / Physical

Financial

Relationships

Career / Business

Personal Development

Community

(adjust for your personal needs)

For me I adjust by  adding two more sections;  writing and home improvement.  Since both are a part of my life and really can not be ignored or rolled into anything else, I include them as their own topics.  I don’t want my writing goals to be hidden under career / business or person development because it is both.  Home improvement is constant, so I might as well plan for it.  If you own property, you know what I mean.


Are you still with me? 

Next up... how to do this?   (part 2)

- Lisa

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."