Do you set goals for the new year? Now that we are a few weeks into 2021, how many of your goals still feel fresh and how many of them are starting to feel unobtainable, or maybe a source for disappointment?
I’ll be honest, I used to be someone who was not a fan of goal setting. But the problem wasn’t actually me, it was my goals.
I made goals that were based on the outcome instead of working to do something about what I could actually change and control.
Here are a few examples of taking goals from a specific outcome based goal, and changing it to be something that will guide your behavior and have a real impact on your life.
Setting a numerical outcome goal is something I used to do a lot. I would set an income goal, or a growth goal, and then I would feel so disappointed and let down if I came close, but missed it by just a little.
To change this, I started to think of the outcome I wanted, like making a new friend, and then ask myself this simple question: how?
Then, shifting the goal from the outcome I want (a new friend) to setting a goal for my behavior needed to achieve the goal (asking one new person to coffee a month) shifted my focus from being too results driven to actually wanting to change my behavior.
Usually, you’ll end up achieving the original outcome of the goal.
If you’re asking new people to coffee every month, of course you’re going to score at least one new friend from that experience.
But if you don’t then you won’t feel upset or disappointed or guilty for missing the mark, because you’ll know you did everything in your power to achieve that goal.
This method of goal setting puts the focus on the progress instead of on the outcome. And progress is often a lot more valuable than we give it credit for!
What are your goals and how could you adjust them so you can achieve them this year?