The late Paul Arden said “Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it’s difficult to score.” We know our personal fulfillment and purpose comes from achieving our goals. So as Q3 comes to a close, how are you doing on the goal front this year? Take a few minutes to reflect on the following:_
- What was your vision for this year?
- How closely is it aligned with where you are today?
- Specifically, what do you need to accomplish this year to make your vision a reality?
- Are you on track with your accomplishments?
- If you are, what success factors have helped you to get to this point? What needs to happen in the next 90 days for you to make headway?
- If you are not, what needs to happen in the next 90 days for you to make headway?
I spend a lot of my time talking about goals, personally and professionally. What strikes me is how often a friend or client laments about not reaching their goal(s). As the conversation unfolds I usually hear or observe one of the following reactions:
Fear – What if I fail? What if I succeed? Ask yourself, what will happen if you fail/succeed? How will you know the outcome if you don’t try? Devise a safety net so that you can move forward with your goals.
Procrastination – there are so many things to sort out before I can start. What one thing could you do today, to get started? Note: it doesn’t have to be big.
Uncertainty – I have no idea where to start. What information do you need? What would your high-level plan look like? How clear are you on your goals?
Questionable motivation – I think I want this but I am not sure or I just can’t commit to it now. Why bother? What makes your goal worthwhile? Why are you chasing this vision? This is coupled with complacency, or the easy option out. The sentiment is everything is fine as it is. I know my life or career could improve dramatically, if I did X, but for now I am okay. You may need to re-think your goal, you have to want it more than anything, this is what will motivate you to start, persist and eventually score.
It’s just too hard - I started but, I am struggling to finish. Hurdles are a given, it feels like they increase in complexity the closer we get to our goals, may be this is to test us and to make our goals meaningful. A hurdle will be impede your action, and you will have to keep trying to get over it or look for another route.
Impatience – It’s taking too long, I don’t have that much time. How long did you think it would take? How did you determine how long it would take? What makes you believe your time frame was realistic? What one thing/activity are you willing to sacrifice so that you can focus your efforts on your goal?
It’s easy to make excuses, when you find yourself putting stuff off, picture yourself in your twilight years, sitting in a rocking chair, thinking back to now. What will you wish you had done today, this year, this decade?
Tags: Goal Setting, Personal Assessment, Personal Development, Vision
