 |
Part I of The Fear of Goal Setting and How to Overcome it
9:35 AM on May. 3, 2008
Abraham Lincoln once said that "a goal properly set is halfway reached."
It's sad that for most of us, goal setting seems to come somewhere between taking the dog to get his nails clipped and having an annual physical on our to-do list. It's something we know we really should do, but somehow we just never seem to quite get around to it.
Why is that? The main reason is probably because the idea of goal setting seems such an enormously daunting task. If the thought of setting goals intimidates you, why not try looking a little deeper to see why.
Maybe it's because once you put pen to paper and actually list your goal, you feel more committed to achieving it. That's a good thing though! The whole point of goal setting is to create a vision in your mind of where you want to be in the future and how you'll achieve it.
The good news for those that feel a bit nervous about the process is goals don't need to be huge. In fact, huge ones that seem totally unrealistic can even make you feel discouraged if that's all you have.
Instead, try seeing it as a journey towards a destination. Set yourself one main goal then a series of smaller goals that will be stepping stones towards the large one. Once you can see progress being made on the smaller ones, it whets your appetite to continue.
For example, let's say your main goal is "I want to be happy". Whoa there! Isn't that a bit of a broad statement?
The more precise your goal, the easier it is to achieve. The clearer you can imagine it, the simpler it is to see how to get there. This is no time for day dreamy half-baked thoughts! Allow yourself plenty of distraction free time to do this. Goal setting needs clear thinking.
Narrow your goal down more and set a time frame. Remember, there's no reason not to set more than one goal at a time but you might want to address one area of your life then another.
For example, if you're stuck in a job you hate and think changing that situation will go a long way towards helping you be happy, then tackle that first. Create a goal within your overall "I want to be happy" goal.
Something like " By April 2009, I'll be happy in my work because I'll be doing something I love." Now that'd be a step in the right direction but you still need to fine tune this goal a little more. Be more specific.
What do you love? Think about it and don't rush this part. If there were no barriers, what career would have you leaping out of bed full of the joys in the morning? Mull it over a while to yourself before answering.
(to be cont'd - see Part II of The Fear of Goal Setting and How to Overcome it )
|
Back to scribbler's Blog
Report Inappropriate Content
