6 Steps for Effective Goal Planning
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"How do you recommend planning for the upcoming year? Setting monthly goals? Mixing personal and professional goals each week? Creating quarterly profit marks? I'm new to goal planning and I want to get great at it." This question comes from Mollye, a regular reader of this column.
I have six steps for effective goal planning that are rooted in the belief that without a destination in mind, we can't make a map to get where we want to go, and we end up meandering aimlessly. For this reason, I'm an advocate of goal planning and visioning (mixed with holding their outcomes loosely and not forcing them). Once you have the high-level laid out (I'll explain how below), you can then break these into smaller goals and steps.
I've developed my practice bit by bit over the past 15 years, trying out new techniques to develop the best goal and vision-planning methods. In my early 20s, I realized I had a variety of dreams, but felt as if I was struggling to achieve them. Using these techniques has taken me from that place to one where I feel that I'm truly successful (which I define as freedom of how I spend my time and using my unique combination of gifts full-out in service to others).
These steps will help you define your goals, dreams, and visions and then turn them into your reality.
Step 1: Brainstorm
Jot down all of your goals, dreams, and desires with no judgment.
Step 2: Edit Your Notes
What goals do you really want to pursue and accomplish (versus which are imposed on you by external factors? Which don't excite you to tackle? etc.) While there is no rule for how many goals you should work toward at one time, I will say this: It's easier to focus and direct your energy when you have fewer at once. As counterintuitive as it may seem to do less to achieve more, it works, and it also speeds you up to get momentum on your goal and invite in a new one (rather than watering down your efforts on many at the same time). Once decided, write down every step which you can think of that will move you from where you are to where you want to be. If you don't know: Steps can include research and/or bringing in support or council.
Step 3: Find Your Mantra
Begin by brainstorming a list of words that describe the way you want to feel both during the pursuit of your goal(s) as well as when it's achieved. For example: Fulfilled, joyful, connected. Edit your initial brainstorm and pick one to three words. These words will buoy you to the feeling(s) behind the goal which helps you attract it and stay motivated.
Step 4: Write a Narrative
Visualize the process and the outcome you're seeking and write it out in narrative format, incorporating it into the fullness of your life. Since your goals don't exist in a silo, personal and professional can blend because you're a whole person in every environment who can't be split apart.
Step 5: Vision Board
You can either get a large stack of magazines and cut and paste them the old-fashioned way, gathering words and images that resonate with your goals and mantras, or you can create a digital board. (I personally prefer the tactile nature of the analog version.) Once complete, keep the vision board somewhere you'll see it often. I'm amazed when I look closely after some time has passed and see things come to life.
Step 6: Take Action
Small daily steps toward your goal(s) are what take something that seems out of reach and makes it your reality. Never underestimate the power of small, consistent, intentional, and strategic steps to add up over time and to create inertia and momentum to move you toward your vision.
Once you have these in place, you can break them down into quarterly, weekly, and/or daily goals. Using a project management tool or system you create can be really helpful, particularly if you get satisfaction from checking off a step you've completed.
Please note: It's not necessary to do all of these if they don't resonate. That said, steps 1, 2, and 6 are non-negotiable. Might you now take the small, intentional step to begin step 1?