Like you, I have made many goals. Some were completed but many others were not.
As I think about the goals I want to make for this upcoming year, I am challenged to ask, what made the difference between success and failure with past goals? Why did I abandon some but not others?
In reflection, I think one of the most important reasons was because I hadn’t been specific enough in defining my goal. To be specific you need to know what you want, why you want it and must be willing to work to achieve it.
So much of what we do is due to a moment’s desire: if I had such and such or could do such and such I would be happy.
Why should we bother with goals if we so seldom complete or accomplish them?
What do I want? – Why do I want it? – Am I willing to work to achieve it?
Years ago, when studying goal setting, we were told the goals we made needed to include every aspect of our life: family, physical, mental, social relationships, religious/spiritual, financial, career. In workshops that I have given, the need to consider all aspects of your life was strongly emphasized and explored. Unfortunately, we tend to focus on career goals to the exclusion of the other areas of our life – we consider other areas important but those remain only partially developed.
When we exclude some areas in our goal setting, our lives become unbalanced and instead of finding the satisfaction we crave, we experience dissatisfaction and sometimes turmoil.
Below is a Goal Development Inventory that I have used in presenting workshops. Before finalizing your goals for this year, take a moment and consider what you truly want.
Goals need to go beyond the desire or good intention of the moment. They need to be associated with our values and principles and long-term development of us as individuals.
- What will make me a better person?
- What contribution will my goals make to others?
- How can I become the person God created me to be?
Goal Development Inventory
What do I want? (this is often hard to define but incredibly important)
What goals do I want to accomplish in the following areas:
Family
Physical
Mental
Social-Relationships
Religious/Spiritual
Financial
Career
Select one goal you want to accomplish in the next six months
Select three goals you want to accomplish by next year
Select three goals that you consider the most important life goals
Within the past month, what have you done to accomplish any of these goals? Why? Why not?
Do you really want these things? Why? Why not?
What do you consider to be your strengths?
What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
List five of the most important things in your life right now
List three peak, meaningful events you have experienced in your lifetime
What peak experiences would you like to have in the future
Make a decision right now on a goal you want to complete this year
To develop and complete successful goals, we need to understand ourselves better. Even when excuses are legitimate: example, struggling with overwhelming technology, we can make it our focus to discover ways to do what is needed.
Identifying your personal barriers to completing your goals can help motivate us through the tough spots. My personal barriers have been technology, time, learning curve and not making a more formal commitment.
A formal commitment would include a reasonable time commitment for my writing, but also social commitments, maintenance, and upkeep of my home, marketing, and continued education.
Marlene Anderson
If you would like a free download of the above inventory, send me an e-mail and ask for Goal Development Inventory and I will e-mail it to you as soon as possible.
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To Receive a Free Consultation for putting together a Personal Plan of Action for yourself, fill out the contact form beside this blog or send me an e-mail. I am also available for speaking engagements, retreats or teaching workshops for your church, clubs or women’s groups on a variety of topics that affect our lives.