It’s mid-January. If you’re like many people, your New Year’s resolutions may already be fading — if you even made any.
Some people I know have opted not to make resolutions. They resist goal setting. It makes them feel too guilty when they don’t meet their goals.
Why set yourself up for failure?
Other people have stated their goals with conviction, but they’re already falling short.
If you’re already frustrated about your progress, here are some possible reasons:
- Your goal is not concrete enough. You want more of this or less of that, but you lack the specifics to help you take action. Instead of saying, “I want more time with my family…” say, “I will spend Saturday mornings with the kids doing something fun.”
- You don’t really want to accomplish the goal. (It’s okay to admit it.) Your goal could be a should do instead of a want to do. You may feel social pressure to achieve a specific goal as opposed to a personal drive to do so. Let go of goals that pull you down. Free yourself to pursue something more rewarding.
- The goal is too big or unrealistic. In this case, you may have a genuine desire to achieve something magnificent, but you feel defeated when you’re not making the progress you’d like to make. Break your goal into smaller pieces.
- You’re over complicating the process. It could be that you’re waiting for just the right time, place, environment, system, mood or whatever else needs to be in place for you. You think you should capture your goals in writing, in a journal, on a vision board, etc. The stars don’t need to be aligned. Keep it simple. Listen to your gut. Go for it.
- You’ve lost sight of your “why.” Somehow you’ve forgotten your purpose. Your purpose is what ultimately powers your results. When your mission or purpose is off your radar, it’s like you’re low on fuel. Time to refuel.
A coaching technique when working with clients on goal setting is to ask the following question after they’ve stated a goal:
“Why is that important?”
It’s a powerful question.
The answer leads you to a fundamental success factor needed to achieve whatever is most important to you: clarity of purpose.
As a leader, it’s a thought-provoking question to ask team members as well.
Understanding what’s important to those you lead — and why — will improve your chances of keeping them. You’ll uncover what they really value.
What are your business goals this year? Test each goal by asking the same question: “Why is that important?”
Some businesses can be too quick to splatter a bunch of goals on a whiteboard without thinking through the real reasons behind the goals.
However, smart businesses revisit their mission or purpose first. Their purpose anchors their priorities.
They align their priorities, plan, goals and actions with that purpose.
Instead of “everything being important,” they know what really is.
No Goals? No Guilt.
When it comes to getting what you want this year, don’t worry if you don’t have any personal goals.
What’s most important is having a sense of purpose.
The importance of purpose on a personal level was captured well in a recent Wall Street Journal article: Why You Need to Find a Mission.
Studies show that the power of purpose can help reduce cognitive decline and promote a healthier, longer life.
Since your organization is a living entity, helping your team reconnect with the purpose for your business can improve the health and longevity of your business.
Reconnect with the purpose of your business. It’s a worthwhile exercise — especially this time of year.
When you feel tangled in tactics, pause to consider why you really want to achieve your goals.
Consider the soft stuff before setting hard numbers. It will pay off.
There’s nothing wrong with setting impressive goals.
Make them meaningful too.
What do you really want to accomplish this year?
Why is that important to you?
I’d love to know your response!
PS: In case you missed the WSJ article, you can find it here: Why You Need to Find a Mission
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
If you’re bored with your life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things, you don’t have enough goals.~ Lou Holtz
