 Procrastinating? Don't stop now
Based on her work as key facilitator of the Women’s Leadership Alliance workshop series, Women and Leadership Australia’s Di Pierce explains the seven deadly sins of goal setting.
Too often people see goals as something that other people do – as if goals are a luxury for those who don’t have to worry about what to feed the kids tonight or getting that weekly report done at work.
To marry the romantic with the prosaic, goals can best be seen as dreams with deadlines. In this light, the fear factor can readily be stripped from them, and they suddenly seem manageable and realistic.
And goals can be as big or small as you like. They can be focused on anything from developing a new skill to beating an old habit. You don’t need to feel that you’re competing with people setting out for a CEO promotion.
Good goal setting starts with your personal dreams. You are the only one who knows what you really want.
But instead of leaving it up to your personal intuition to project manage your dreams, goal setting works when it provides us with a plan of attack.
The plan must do more than merely tell you what to do when. It must give you the tools to stay motivated and focused, and have the follow-through to see your dreams realised.
Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting
1. Not putting goals in writing
‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is the best way to explain why goals and the supporting action plans need to be put in writing. And put somewhere that you can read them regularly.
2. Being unrealistic
The only way you’ll be able to reach your goals is if they are reasonable and realistic in the first place. If you set unrealistic goals, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Work to your strengths, natural abilities and motivations.
3. Motivations are unclear
To keep goals personal and meaningful, you need to look at ‘why’ rather than ‘what’. For example, the popular goal ‘making more money’ is useless unless you know why you want more money. You don’t have to dig into your soul; just be clear of the end-points you want to reach.
4. Not having a plan
Having a meaningful goal is only half the story. You need an action plan to tell you how to get there. Remember: the goal is the destination, the map is how to get there.
5. Not taking action
Having a flawless plan amounts to little if you don’t get off the couch and take action. But don’t despair if you change tack or modify your plans as you go. Plans are only as good as the outcomes they deliver.
6. Losing focus
Success at achieving your goals requires focus, commitment and persistence. Sometimes your energy may be low and you will lose this focus, but it is important not to give up – get back on that horse, visualize the outcome of that dream goal and continue on your way.
7. No follow-through
Goal setting is an ongoing process. Your road map is your life guide. It needs to be referred to constantly to make sure you continue in the right direction. |
