Are you beginning to think what you’d like to Be, Do or Have by the end of next year? That’s a great start. Do you then check in either monthly or at least quarterly to see if you’re on track to achieve what you chose for yourself?
I hope so. If not, that’s cool too. You can choose to change that and truly reach your goals. I like to think of a goal as a Post/Zip Code on a GPS. It’s specific. You know exactly where you want to go and have an expected time of when you’ll get there. That’s a goal, something measurable in time and detail. The route mapped out by your GPS is your plan. It’s the step-by-step plan on how to get to where you want to get to. Plans, much as routes can change, but goals usually stay the same, unless something that truly causes you to change your life course!
So, let’s look at the different types of goals. From my viewpoint, there are three types
- Away from goals
- Towards goals and
- Legacy goals
The Away from goals are the ones we see every January. We want to lose weight or reduce alcohol. We want to move away from something that does not serve us. These are good goals to have too. However, when you achieve them, you’ve got nowhere further to go.
Towards goals are targets that take you forwards. Some people want to start to create an investment portfolio. If it’s something you wish you’d done but as yet haven’t, then maybe the plan for that goal will be about learning and hanging out with people who know how to do this. It could be to find a qualified wealth coach who can support you.
Legacy goals are your dreams and visions, not just about what you’re going to leave in your will! Some people spend time creating their vision for their life. This makes decisions easier when you’re presented with a choice. Is it taking you to your key vision or not? It’s your internal drive that propels you towards the life that you truly want.
The best thing about setting goals is they don’t have to be big. They just need to charge you up to achieve something in your life and move you out of a comfort zone. Goals do need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound) otherwise, they’ll just become another ‘to do’ list. Instead, create a ‘to achieve’ list.
Let’s have a think about the last two years and what you achieved. Did you choose it, or did it get chosen for you? If you’re new to goal setting, be kind to yourself. Join a group so that you’ll make new friends that are also going through the process and fun of going through their plans that take them towards their target.
And most important of all…When you achieve it… celebrate!
