While working to set up my business, I reported to my coaching group that I was struggling with time management: I was devoting a lot of hours to working on the business, but my “to do” list kept getting longer. I was feeling disorganised and unproductive, that I wasn’t making any real progress.
“What’s the goal you’re working on?” asked the coach.
I didn’t have any goals. For years in the corporate world, objective setting had been a tick box exercise, full of buzz words and politics – it was a relief to leave that kind of corporate bullsh*t behind.
"So you want to progress, but you don't know to where?"
BAM! And there you have it. One convert to goal setting.
It turns out that, in the real world, being absolutely clear about what you want to achieve is pretty damn useful. Who knew?!
For example, if you’re feeling stuck in a rut and a bit lonely, you may well think about investigating whether there are any local clubs or societies based around things that interest you or that you might like to try. Great idea, right? And that’s probably what it remains: just an idea.
But what if you set a goal like this “To improve my social life, I will attend a meeting of one local hobby/activity/interest group within the next month”? Suddenly, you have something specific to aim for and a deadline for doing it. Rather than ruminating on what you might or might not do, you have a clear task on which to focus.
While reading this, did a goal you could set yourself come to mind? Did it make you feel uncomfortable, even scared? Excellent – you’re on the right track!
Setting a goal that makes you a bit frightened, means that you’re preparing to step out of your comfort zone. By definition, that’s going to be at least uncomfortable, possibly terrifying - but it can also be exciting. And stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to change what you what to change in your life.
If achieving your goal would make you happier and your life better, then what have you got to lose by going for it? Even if you do fail, at least you won’t spend the rest of your life wishing you’d tried – and maybe you’d learn something from that experience that would lead to you being able to make the change you want in a different way.
So, what goal are you setting yourself…?
