How can you set goals that are aligned with your strengths?

To align goals with strengths, start with focused introspection. Set aside uninterrupted time to assess your skills and passions honestly. Note what empowers you. Much unhappiness comes from pursuing goals that are incompatible with our core values. In my work with clients, identifying core values is foundational. Being self-aware is important for setting goals that are in line with your strengths, making sure that the way you reach your goals is meaningful and long-lasting, and avoiding the frustration that comes from chasing goals that aren't right for you.

I believe strength can be adjusted and develop according to Goals. Because strength is the vehicle you use to reach the distension. Goals are more important. First chose the right goal that you can die for and then you'll see, everything else can be adjusted, learned and develop with discipline.

Strengths Finder is an easy, similarly described tool to look for your strengths. But whether you use an assessment tools like that, a psychological profile, or some other aid—consider strengths to be those things you do well, that others don’t do as easily. What makes something a strength for you is in the easy you can do that thing, but also how motivated you are to grow your skills in the same thing. Discipline trumps talent—but if you have something driving you on both counts, count that as a strength.

To identify your strengths it is important to know yourself. This requires some degree of introspection and reflection but it also can be done through observation about which activities lead you to a flow state a state where minimum effort is needed and it may seem that time flies by. You can also ask the opinion of people you respect and trust like family, colleagues, mentors, bosses, friends as at times we get caught up in modesty and fail to recognize what we are really good at.

You can do SMART goals, but you can also take the Seinfeld approach of putting “X”’s on the calendar for the daily habit, daily ritual, or daily practice. Some people are ends-based in their motivation—others are means-based. Success may not be about having a clear goal of producing a specific work, but the daily accumulation of pages leading to an ultimate work being produced.

There’s a planning way to success, and an obsessive way to get there. There’s a planner’s approach, and an anti-planner’s approach. Bear with me. Many creators are obsessive. Ryan Holiday keeps writing because he can’t stand the perspective of stopping. The danger of inertia isn’t worth confronting, so he’s fashioned his life & success around production. He’s even opened a bookstore to inspire a community of readers & writers like him to take up the pen. But many creators are procedural. Like Patterson or other mystery thriller writers—they help a machine that plans books & works in long, character driven arcs. All the writers here have to do, is fill in the scenes and chapters.

Celebration must be as much a ritual as the practice of working towards & reaching your goals. In the US, always driving, hustle-focused culture, there’s little room for celebration. Americans aren’t known for taking their victory laps. But being patient enough to celebrate, can be as invaluable as the practice of production to get to the celebration. SMART goals is the key in this collaborative article, But at the end of that time-bound success, you have to know what it means to win. What does it feel like; can you anticipate that win with clarity? And does your work align with the victory after the outcome.

"Strength-based goals are the true keys to your potential." — John C. Maxwell We often see kids pushed to focus on their deficiencies in school and sport. You can spend 80% of your time trying to improve a weakness to see minimal gain, or focus 80% of your time focused on your strengths, becoming the absolute best and blowing your competition out of the water. What makes more sense? Play to your strengths and align your goals around where you shine. Oprah is a prime example. She began shaping tv in the 80’s when she was far from the typical on air personality. But she built an empire based on her ability to CONNECT. Ask yourself “what’s my one key differentiator?” Figure that out, go all in, and you’ll be unstoppable!

Take it slow and steady and always as St Paul says Keep your sight on the goal and the prize when running the race. Remember it's a marathon not a sprint. Pace yourself and practice visualization and write down your goal and keep the written goal somewhere you can see. Start and make course adjustments as and when needed.