Category: Goal Setting

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3 Practical Steps to Take When You Have Too Many Goals

 

A new month usually brings new goals you’d like for you, and the team, to achieve. Meeting organizational goals is the focus for every leader. However, goals can become overwhelming, especially if there are too many given.

 

It can often feel as if  you’re spinning in circles with too many goals, or those that seem conflicting. If a leader feels overwhelmed, then goals won’t get conveyed in the way they are intended or can get overlooked.  The good news is, you’re not the only one who feels that way. It’s very common, and you can help solve this problem.

 

Here are some things you can do if you’re overwhelmed with having too many goals:

 

  1. Look for overlaps. Sometimes there is a natural and logical relationship between goals. Suppose you want to get healthier and to have more leisure time to cope with workplace stressors. Making time out for active leisure, such as tennis or running, will accomplish both goals at once.

 

But, sometimes, two goals seem to be in direct opposition to each other, such as wanting to spend more time with your employees but having to attend meetings during the day. In this case, write out both goals and, next to each,  write out why you want to do each of them and want to accomplish.

 

You might find that what you want is to improve and increase your communication skills. In this case, your real goal is to plan and schedule activities that meet the needs of each goal. You might discover that you can satisfy your desire to communicate more by scheduling employee time in between meetings, send one of your staff in lieu of you in a meeting, or eat lunch with them. Get to the essence of the goal, and they’ll work themselves out.

 

  1. Make the time. We tell ourselves there are “only so many hours in a day,” and that we’re “too busy” to take on anything else right now. Your time is precisely that – yours.

Instead of saying “I don’t have time to meet with an employee,” try saying, “I’m not making time to meet” –  We find the time for the things that matter.

 

  1. Be flexible. It’s a good thing to put a timeline together and have definite dates and time-sensitive goals. But remember that life happens, and often it even gets in the way. There is an ancient Greek saying that goes: “If you want to make the gods laugh, tell them your plans.” Having milestones and plotting points along the timeline is good, but don’t hold yourself to it so rigidly that you cannot adapt to the occasional curveball. This applies to your staff, as well.

 

If it feels to you like you have too many goals, or if the ones you do have are fighting each other, then find the essence of each one. This will help you determine what’s most important right now. Then, work on one goal at a time.

 

By concentrating on which ones mean the most each day, you’ll put those goals into perspective, and you won’t feel so overwhelmed, which will affect your stress level and productivity.

 

Leaders need to steer the boat, so to speak; but, if you are taking in more water with too many goals, then you won’t know the direction to take and can get off-course. Your clarity impacts the clarity for your employees; be clear in the direction for smooth sailing.

 

 

If you’re struggling with setting or achieving goals, having a coach can help. Contact us today to learn more.

 

 

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What Goals Are and What They Are Not

What Goals Are and What They Are Not

Here we are, winding down another month, ready to leap into a new one. This means it’s time to set new goals for yourself, in all areas, i.e. personal, professional ,career, financial, etc. But why do some people struggle with setting them, despite having the intent?

Perhaps it’s due to the label of goal and what this truly means. Perhaps the following can help give you more clarity so you can go about setting goals, that are meaningful, achievable, and motivate you to reach them.

So, what is a goal and why do we need them? A goal is an end result or objective you want or need to accomplish. Goals, which can be both long- and short-term, provide direction and motivation to help you achieve a desired outcome. To help you understand this concept more, let’s go over what goals are and what they are not.

Goals Are the Things You Want To and/or Need To Achieve

Goals are specific, measurable, and time-sensitive objectives designed to help you measure progress and stay on track toward achieving your desired outcome.

For example, a goal like this:

“I will lose 10 pounds in three months by exercising five days per week and cutting back on sweets, sodas, and processed foods…”

…is a well-thought-out goal.

It describes what the goal is: Lose 10 lbs. It explains how you will go about it and has a realistic time frame. You can use that information to design your action plan.

Goals Are the Results You Want to Achieve  

As mentioned above, a well-crafted goal describes the end result or outcome you are working towards.

Here is another example: “I will start a ghostwriting business for people who want to make money selling clean romance novels on Amazon Kindle.”

You will create smaller goals from this first goal, such as building a website where potential customers will learn more about your services and find contact information.

From there, you will need a goal for creating content that highlights your talents and outlines the benefits of collaborating with you.

Then, the next goal will be setting up marketing campaigns to reach out to romance authors needing assistance with their writing projects.

All these steps lead to one end goal: establishing a successful ghostwriting business.

Goals Are Time-Sensitive

A goal requires time sensitivity because that time limit creates a sense of urgency and motivates you to complete it. When setting a goal, it’s vital to have an end date that gives you a realistic timeline for completing the task.

Being realistic here is critical as it helps keep you focused and on track regarding reaching your objectives without frustration. Plus, a time limit gives you greater insight into how much effort is needed to reach your goal within the set timeline.

Goals Help Measure Progress

Goals provide a clear target to work towards and to track progress toward achieving them. They measure progress because they provide a tangible tracking mechanism, so you know how close you are to achieving the desired end result.

You use goals to set shorter-term milestones that allow you to monitor your progress and help you stay motivated and focused on the bigger picture. Concrete goals will enable you to evaluate yourself objectively and make adjustments when necessary.

Goals Need to Be Both Large and Small

Goals range from long-term objectives, such as purchasing a house or starting a business, to short-term goals, like saving for a vacation or learning a new skill.

Setting big and small goals is beneficial because it helps create a sense of balance. Big goals provide the long-term motivation and direction you need, while small goals give you short-term objectives to reach along the way.

What Goals Are Not

Goals are not the steps, processes, or actions you take to achieve the goal.

These steps are the means to an end and are separate from the goal itself. Goals are the desired end result of a particular activity or endeavor. They set the benchmark for success and provide guidance and motivation to reach that end.

Remember, goals are not the actions you take to achieve them. Setting clear and measurable goals helps you focus your efforts and progress toward achieving your desired outcome.
Focus on the end-result to drive your goal further; vision it daily to achieve it.

 

If you’re struggling with setting and reaching goals, reach out to learn how we can help You don’t have to do it alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3 Ways to Set Goals for Successs

It’s so hard to believe that December is upon us and the last days of 2019. In hindsight, it seems that the year has gone by so quickly. Before you know it, a new year and decade will be upon us. This is always the time for renewed spirit and goal setting to accomplish the ‘bucket list.’

Having a plan to start off the new year will allow you to enjoy the holidays.

Now is the time to begin planning and setting goals; however, there is still 31 days  to end the year off accomplished; it’s never too late to achieve your goals and finish strong. Sometimes it’s not which goals you set but how you set them, as you want to make them so compelling that you just have to work to get them done.

Here are 3 ways to set compelling goals:

  1. Past achievements – remember a time when you did achieve   something you wanted and how you did it – we often forget that we’ve accomplished goals in the past, as they now are easy or part of our routine; do you remember the first time you tried to ride a bike? remember how ‘hard’ it was? But yet you did it. Looking back on past achievements can help you to open up and get creative in your goals
  2. Everest goals – focus on the end-result – you already have reached your goal – and then work backwards to identify all the steps it took for you to get there. I love this way of setting goals, as it gets you into futuring and tapping into your visuals so you can ‘see’ you already accomplished; I find I get more creative while this also raises my emotional level to make my goals more compelling.  Create a visual representation to keep the goal in front of you, such as drawing a map with your goal at the top and free-think actionable steps that took you there
  3. Pain-Gain – another way to set goals is by looking at the benefit you will get, and the risk for not, for having them. By looking at the gain you will get by having the goal, can help you determine the ‘strength’ of that goal, and give you the motivation you need. Also, looking at the current pain by not having the goal also gives you a differing perspective to realize what is missing, i.e. why you need that goal, which, again, makes you want to do the work needed.

However, you set goals, the important point is that you have them as there are many benefits to them. Set them for parts of your life, as well as in your job and career. Think big – don’t be afraid to be as creative as you want; in fact, make your goals so big that you have to go for them. Planning ahead will give you peace of mind while providing direction each day. Now, you can savor these last days of 2019 and end your year well!

Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com

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New Month and Goal Planning to End/Start the New Year Right

We are just a few days away from the start of a another new month – hard to believe we’re almost  done with 2019 and a new year – and decade – will begin. Where has the time gone?

I love a new month as it brings renewed hope and the opportunity for creating new ideas and actions, i.e. goals, to work on. This is the time to take stock of how things have been going on the goals you set back in January, which is almost here again.

You still have one month take massive action and achieve your unmet goals. Planning for the new year should be on your agenda, as well,  so you can hit the ground running after the holidays are over and with passion to do so.

This  is the time to assess your current state, to see if you’re satisfied with where you are and, if not, to change that. You won’t know where things are if you don’t truly make an overall assessment of your life, in the following areas:

  • career
  • relationships
  • finances
  • hobbies/fun/recreation
  • physical environment
  • health
  • personal growth & development
  • time management and productivity

These are the main areas, although there may be others, to identify what is working or not.  In each of these, ask yourself:

  • how satisfied you are (you can rate on a Likert scale, from 1-5, or 1-10)
  • do you feel uneasy when you delve into any of these area; if so, there is an issue that needs to be addressed as it could be holding you back from success
  • what is working well in each area; what are the strengths you possess that is leading to positive achievement
  • what is not working well in each area; what is your responsibility/choices that have led to being stalled; are there any outside influences as contributing factors
  • what changes do you want/need to make that would lead to feeling satisfied in each area; what do you want/need to continue doing, if you are satisfied

These questions will give you the big picture of how all areas of your life are going. Armed with this information, you can now break each area down and continue asking the questions until you get to the bottom line for where you want the rest of the month/year to go, ala set new goals.

Ask yourself if you want to be in the same spot as you are now for each of those areas above; if the answer is no in any of them, then this  is where your goal planning should begin.What will you do differently to make them happen?

Goal planning takes time and effort, but aren’t you worth it? Start today to create the roadmap for your life – it’s never too late!

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Choosing a Word or Theme for Your New Year

Choosing a word or theme for your new year is a great way to keep focus on how you want the year to play out. Words are very powerful, as they can elicit emotions that feed drive and motivation. The more compelling the words are to you, the more connection you will feel.

The power of words are nothing new, as you can look at songs, poems. ad motivational quotes, which are all ways we feel an emotion which then creates an attachment to something o someone. The resulting emotions then lead to a behavior and taking action of some kind.

You can choose a word, phrase or a particular theme for areas of your life, such as:

  • for your home: purge, simplify, cleanse
  • for your relationships: love, honor, closeness, respect, boundaries
  • for your mental clarity: great ideas, peace, gratitude, confidence, honor myself, carpe diem (seize the day)
  • for your career/business: focus, money come easily to me, connections, workplace happiness
  • for your relationship with money: abundance, savings, no more debt, freedom
  • for your health: eat clean, no excuses, or you can borrow from Nike – just do it

I think you get the idea; see what you can expand on in these areas, which you may have more than I’ve listed. The point is, we need to find ways to keep motivated on the goals and outcomes we’ve set – choosing a word or theme is a great way to keep motivated and in achievement mode. As an add-on, make a picture or visual representation of what you came up with.

Keep your word or phrase in places where you will see it: as a screen saver on your fridge or bathroom mirror, or on a sticky note you keep by your computer screen. The more you see them, the more focus and motivation you will have to keep working towards your new-set goals and finish the year out strong.

If you feel stuck on finding your theme, or setting goals for more  achievement in the new year, let’s talk!

Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

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