How can you set long-term PD goals that stick?

This is such a great point of view and I believe it is also important to consider what makes the goal so important. Which to me goes one step beyond the Know Your Why. “Why it matters” and “What makes it important” are actually two different perspectives. For example: 1. Achieving higher learning and receiving a certification matters because it opens the door for more possibilities. 2. Achieving higher learning and receiving a certification is important because it’s more than just a piece of paper. It’s a commitment made and seen through to completion. So the question to ask isn’t why it matters. The question to ask is what makes this goal so important to achieve!

To set long-term PD goals that stick, first, know your why—understand the purpose and value of achieving your goal. Second, make your goal SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Lastly, seek feedback and support from others to improve your skills and performance, and regularly review and adjust your goal based on your progress and changing circumstances

Knowing our why is important but sometimes hard to identify without answering 'what and how,' because why does not work in isolation. Why is more profound and sometimes comes from practice and experience. I was 21 when I became a counselor. If someone had asked my 'why' - I wouldn't have had an answer then - but I surely knew I enjoyed 'what' I was doing and quickly realized I also knew 'how' to do the job well. And this knowledge led me to seek the 'why' or what continues to motivate me do what I do even after 2 decade. Combining the what + how + why will empower your PD goal setting because you will be more resilient and relentless in pursuing your goals and aligning your growth with your not just aspirations and but also with the values.

Avalie o Significado: Certifique-se de que suas metas tenham significado para você. Elas devem estar alinhadas com seus valores e aspira??es pessoais. Pergunte-se: “Por que essa meta é importante para mim? Se você estiver planejando a longo prazo precisa fazer sentido, alinhar aos seus valores, que seja alcan?ável e acima de tudo por satisfa??o e realiza??o.

For goals that stick, its important to choose goals that come from intrinsically motivated factors for example things you would do just for the love of them, even if no one ever knew about it, you never received external validation or reward and there would be no criticism or negative outcome to not doing the thing. Research tells us these intrinsically motivated goals will have the strongest motivation behind them

I agree with the SMART goals approach and over the years I have found that it leaves out a few key components for achieving one’s goals so I created a SIMPLE goals version which picks up where SMART goals leaves off by: addressing obstacles, overcoming limiting believes, outlining practical action steps, and connecting with the driving force for wanting to achieve the goal, as well as identifying level of priority. The SIMPLE GOALS formula works out to be a very powerful 12-step formula or system for guaranteeing success. I would love to share it with you and/or your organization.

If you want to go beyond, you can also go for SMART-ER goals. These goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound, and allow you to Evaluate, and Reward. I believe it is important to break long-term goals into smaller achievable goals, to keep yourself determined and celebrate success along the way.

Make sure your goals are realistic in terms of both expectations and action steps. For example, if a goal requires a year of work, but you expect to achieve it within 6 months, then that is not realistic. Or, if you only have 10 minutes to work on your goal daily with your current lifestyle, but you force yourself to do too much daily, which causes you to stress out, then that is not a realistic action step. Unrealistic expectations lead to failure, which will decrease your motivation to move forward.

Personally, I found that working with a coach or mentor always accelerated my personal development goals. They were able to give me specific exercises, brainstorm with me, set deadlines and keep me accountable. If you don't have the resources for a coach, I recommend using one of your peers as an accountability buddy.

This is the E in the SMART-ER goals. Evaluate. Check-in with yourself, your goals, what is going well, what might be going less well and if any adjustments are needed.

It is important to be flexible with your goals. This means being committed to achieving your goal but flexible on how to achieve it. You will learn and meet new people who will teach you different things that could make your plan to achieve your goal faster. Even though you might need an initial plan, successful goal setting is a learn-as-you-go process. There are many paths to the same destination.

I always ask, "When was the last time you gifted yourself?" In fact, people close to me know that I celebrate even the simplest milestones we achieve as a team with chocolates. Who doesn't enjoy a good chocolate treat or the dopamine kick and feel good feeling it brings? But, you know what, we are actually celebrating ourselves and our progress - not necessarily what we set out to achieve! If you made a progress this week / month - reward yourself, irrespective of the goal getting achieved. Remember, your goals are closer than you thought. So, put in the work, celebrate your progress and enjoy your journey. Because when the milestone is achieved, you will look back and remember every learns, wins, and challenges just as much.

Progress deserves to be celebrated, even if small! Positive reinforcement has better outcomes than bringing yourself down, and will help you set yourself up for success. Learn from your journey and experiences, take time to reflect, enjoy, and use the celebration fuel as a means of going even further!

Enjoy your discovery process. Whether it is a new mindfulness practice or a time management goal, take the time to find what suits you. And find the rhythm that fits you too - morning/evening; 5-min/30-min. Start with little steps. Celebrate your wins!

Incluir a un coach en el proceso de establecimiento de metas de desarrollo personal a largo plazo podría proporcionar la ventaja de tener una guía experta que facilita el autoconocimiento y la alineación de metas con valores personales. Un coach puede ofrecer las herramientas para manejar la flexibilidad de las metas de manera constructiva, ayudando a navegar por los cambios y desafíos con resiliencia. La presencia de un coach puede ser el catalizador para transformar las aspiraciones en acciones concretas y sostenibles, asegurando que las metas no solo se establezcan, sino que también se logren y se ajusten dinámicamente a lo largo del viaje de desarrollo personal.

Write it down and make it visible! Goals that aren't written and visible to remind you will likely be forgotten once the initial motivation wears off

Action streaks. If you're like most, you get motivated by streaks. You know the daily actions you need to take to get closer to your goals, so track and measure these actions while keeping your eyes on the prize (your goal). To make anything stick, it always falls down to habits. Are your habits in alignment with your long-term personal development goals? If the answer is yes, you're on the right path!