Goal-setting? Why would you? …for peace of mind, efficiency, and to squeeze the most out of your possibilities.
I took myself off on my own personal goal setting retreat recently. I didn’t go away anywhere (though that’s a good idea, I might do that next time) but I did create a day of uninterrupted personal time and space to take stock and put a plan in place for the next 3 months, and like all good retreats, it felt like being pampered. It was nourishing and rewarding and I felt like the star attraction where the only item on the agenda was my well-being.
People who plan will go places that others might, but often won’t. I mostly work for myself and I am an expert procrastinater and swimmer-in-circles so it’s especially important that I add a layer of self-discipline and direction to make sure my energy is well targetted towards my business goals.
If we don’t have a goal, chances are we won’t arrive at our goal. ‘Well’, you may say, ‘I don’t call it a goal but I do know what I’m aiming for’. Great! And to get further, faster, be as clear as and detailed as possible with a vivid image of exactly what that looks and feels like. Get the goal sorted and then work back with strategy and practical skills to build the stepping stones that will take you from here to there.
Goals are sometimes obvious or simple but other times they need to be teased out with much thought and introspection. Aim big, but once they’re drafted take time to poke and prod them to be sure that they’re aligned with your innermost values. There will be pitfalls and problems along the way and we’re more likely to dip out if our goals aren’t solidly inspired by what really matters to us.
Sounds a bit like hard work? Where’s the possibility of being spontaneous or the universe providing? The universe will add what it will add. It may get in the way or it may whisk us ahead along our path. I graffiti’d ‘Serendipity’ on my bedroom wall on a quiet Sunday afternoon a few years back because it’s such a great word and a great concept but underneath any wishful thinking I know I have to put in the work.
I love to be a wordsmith so for the goals themselves I carefully craft the wording that is meaningful to me and I write down what I’m aiming to achieve, by what date, and the descriptors that go with it to make it perfectly clear. Then I map out my action steps. I chart it all onto a single page, decorated according to my creative bones on the day, and I add a few other key motivators, including ‘note-to-self’ statements which are created from the lessons I need to learn to get me more of the good and less of the bad. There’s a great personal potency in these statements.
I blu-tac my one-page piece of magic onto my bedroom mirror or some other conspicuous spot. I know I have to keep it fresh and continually refer to it. The path often develops dog-legs and setbacks as it unfolds so I may need to re-evaluate as I go but that’s fine, it’s part of the process. If referring to it could make it tatty then by the end of the goal period, my page should look as well-worn as a favourite old recipe.
Want a diy version? I recommend a great little book called ‘Your Best Year Yet’ by Jinny S Ditzler;
or for more inspiration check out: https://markmanson.net/goal-setting
If you would like to power up your achievements, and if you have space on your bedroom mirror, contact me and we can chat about what you want to achieve.