4 Key Takeaways:
- Goals need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) while not being too constrained by realism when it comes to personal goals
- Conduct a gap analysis to understand what's needed to get from your current state to your desired goal - this includes emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical preparation
- Break down long-term goals into manageable milestones and specific action steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed
- Goals without consistent, thoughtful action remain just dreams - writing them down is only the first step
Goals drive us forward and create opportunities for meaningful progress. The goals we choose offer insights into our inner world and aspirations. However, setting goals can also be intimidating and emotionally challenging.
"Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there's no telling what will happen when you act upon them."Jim Rohn
When setting goals, it's common to face doubts and fears. What if I'm not good enough? What if people laugh? What if I try and fail? And perhaps most daunting, what if I actually reach the goal?
Fear of failure is often coupled with a fear of success. The inner world of a human being is undeniably complex.
The emotional challenges surrounding goal setting can be overwhelming, even when you recognize the benefits.
Personally, I enjoy the process of goal setting, but that doesn't mean it doesn't scare me or create some internal stress. Once I've committed my goals to paper, the next step is to take action or face the feelings of disappointment at the end of the year.
If writing down goals was the only step, it wouldn't be so difficult. The truth is, a goal without consistent, thoughtful action is merely a dream.
While having dreams 🌤️🌤️ is important, living them by achieving your goals is even more rewarding. To make this possible, goals need to be clear and provide opportunities for action and achievement. You've likely heard about SMART goals—not the most exciting approach, but certainly effective.
Starting with a SMART goal means articulating a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objective. However, being too realistic in goal setting might hold you back. While realism is important for concrete business outcomes, it may not always serve you in your personal life.
You might not think a goal is realistic, but that doesn't mean it's impossible if you're willing to take consistent, thoughtful action. As Jim Rohn's quote suggests, embrace the power of inspiration, belief, and action in your goal-setting process.
Take Action:
- Write down at least one goal you want to make progress on by the end of this year. Remember, goal setting isn't just for the start of the year.
- Keep in mind that goals can span multiple years. If you're pursuing a degree, you may be looking at a 2 to 7 year timeline, depending on the program.
- Write down the milestones that need to be achieved to reach your goal. Long-term goals can be divided into yearly milestones to maintain focus, but this isn't always necessary.
- Now, write down three action steps you need to take to reach the first milestone.
- Give yourself a pat on the back. You're now a goal-setter!
These steps may seem simple, but they can be challenging. Take time to reflect on what you want to achieve. Once you have a goal in place, conduct a gap analysis.💡
Gap Analysis: A comparison of your current state to a desired future state. In other words, what is it going to take to get from where you are to the desired goal?
Seems Overwhelming?
Keep in Mind this is also included with the All Access Pass in the Architect Plus
Consider Starting the Dissertation
If pursuing an education is your goal, you ultimately want to graduate with a specific degree or certificate within a set timeframe. Every completed class is a milestone met, and every passing grade is a step toward the degree. However, this type of goal is more complex. You need to stay healthy mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to reach the end successfully.
Pursuing a doctorate degree involves significant milestones. Passing all your classes is just the first one. Next, you need to successfully pass comprehensive exams. And finally, you must climb the ultimate mountain: the dissertation.
The dissertation is a unique challenge that can stir up deep-seated fears about your intelligence, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Overcoming this final hurdle requires patience, perseverance, grit, and dedication to daily action.
You may not have approached your degree pursuit as a goal, but writing down the goal, milestones, and action steps can help you stay focused on what needs to happen to succeed. This is especially crucial when you reach the final stages.
Take Action:
- Write down the milestones you've achieved and check them off if you've already started your educational journey.
- Conduct a gap analysis. Make sure to include what you need to do to stay healthy mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Reflect on any deficits you've faced in these areas up to this point.
- If you're in the comprehensive exam stage, write down any knowledge, skills, or ability gaps that need to be addressed to improve your chances of successfully climbing the dissertation mountain.
- If you're at the dissertation stage, consider creating mini-goals or objectives for each milestone, such as completing individual chapters. Identify the action steps needed to regularly progress on each chapter.
Taking these actions provides a high-level overview of your goal and helps you create a plan to achieve the desired outcome. Feeling overwhelmed during the dissertation stage is not uncommon, but remember that it can be accomplished one step at a time. The process of goal setting is about creating manageable, bite-sized pieces so that you feel capable of reaching your goal without being overwhelmed.
By breaking down your goals into actionable steps and consistently working towards them, you'll be well on your way to achieving your dreams and unlocking your full potential. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the milestones, and never lose sight of the incredible things you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.
