Goals, goals, goals...

Goals, who needs them?

Well, research (actually someone told me!) indicates that less than 3 per cent (the exact phrase was "a minuscule %") of us regularly set written goals. However, those who do invest time in this exercise usually turn out to be those that seem to succeed effortlessly. To them, non-goal-setters appear like dead leaves in the wind, their trails mostly decided not by them but the direction in which the wind blows fastest. Sounds true enough to continue reading?

A written set of goals, organized and structured, can help keep us focused in the same way a recipe helps us whip out our favorite dish. Firms spend millions on planning and goal setting. Even at work, employees are often judged by their ability to achieve goals that have been set for them. And yet, in our personal lives, we rarely use the power of setting goals. Why? Is it because we have a pseudo sense of control over our own personal lives? Writing down a goal means it is important to you (you see what I did there - now, you can't say you have nothing important to do in your life!). But seriously, unless you write it down, it is a vague idea floating in your head. When you write it down, you can fit it into your schedule and make it real.

Here are a few steps of setting goals that have helped me in my life's journey so far.

Definition

This seems simple, but IT IS NOT. I very rarely know what I want. Defining a goal helps you articulate what you want - not only to others, but also to yourself. Imagine leaving your home every morning with a vague idea of where you are headed (not that I haven't done that too - not pleasant, let me confirm!). What are the chances you will get anywhere worthwhile?

So, how do we define specifically what we want? Take a sheet of paper (I love to scribble, so Digital folks can please use what they want) and pick an area of your life (career, education, health, relationships, spirituality, personal growth etc) where you would like to set a goal. Write down around 20 things that you want to see happen. Don't think or analyze too much. Let your thoughts flow. I remember when I quit my commission in the Navy and came back home (no experience, fresher) I wrote 30 different things I want to do in my career and presented it to my parents - sales, marketing, manufacturing, entrepreneur, journalism, IT, HR et al. At that point of time, neither did I nor did they have any clue how I was going to get into any of these fields but I saw that they were happy that I was at least thinking about it. They were goals, nevertheless. Even today, I'm trying to live out the roles in that piece of paper from years ago - I've been through the Services, research, manufacturing, sales/marketing, IT, HR, Staffing, Recruitment, Skilling and still counting!

Now prioritize this list - rank these 10/20/30 in the order of their importance to you - Tip: the # shrinks the older you are unless you have the nectar of immortality but the exercise of goal setting itself is age agnostic and it's the most wonderful thing about it too. What you are doing is gaining clarity into what is most important. You will find yourself a lot clearer in your head.

Completion

More often than not, if we don't have good validation criteria after having set a goal, we will never know if we actually succeed in achieving it. So, ask yourself this significant question: How will I know I have achieved this goal?

This might be straightforward for some goals. If one was 'to get a promotion', or 'learn a particular technology', that is straightforward. But, if your goal is 'to become a better programmer', that's a little vague. You might want to set the validation criteria as:

1. The error rate in my deliveries will drop.

2. Awards earned by me for my programming & contribution will grow.

3. Productivity will increase due to more efficient programming.

If these things happen, you will know you have become a better programmer. Now, look at your goal and try making your validation criteria as specific as possible. Notice that all three points mentioned above can be measured tangibly. I have a 1000 day rule for roles that I play in my career. I copied this from a senior colleague that I used to work with and the sheer genius of it helps you set goals and plan because you have it ticking in your head always. I use the first 6 months (180 days) to know everything about the role that will deliver the outcomes that is expected out of it. This is the most intense time that I invest in the role itself. The next 6 months, I "recruit" - this doesn't have to be from outside but I see it as a process of identification of leads that will do the role better than myself and potentially one of them will replace me at the end of the 1000 days. The next 6 months is facilitating the leads and tweaking the setup and so on. The final 6 months - I give it to myself to look for and transition into my next role. Many have said that this has potentially stunted my career growth - they couldn't be more wrong - promotions were never part of my list of 30 that I started out with! The 1000 days rule doesn't always materialize exactly as there are too many moving parts but it's been very effective for me as I keep using it towards my goal of ticking off all 30 in my list!

Execution

Take a good look at your goal and validation criterion. What do you need to do to make these results happen? This is the time to break down your goal into actions and sub-actions. Come up with a list by asking yourself this question.

When I took a huge leap of faith and took up a role in HR with no formal instruction in that domain or subject, what I had gunning for me were my goals & what I wanted to achieve for myself. It remains the most significant thing to thank as is the compliment that one of my dearest friends and greatest mentors gave me as I moved out of that role - "now, after ~4Y in HR, I see you as an HR person that also knows Business Delivery and not the other way round". This was exactly the goal I set for myself when I started off.

Time & timing

Setting a time frame for your goal breathes life into it and also allows you to build it into your schedule. It also helps you create a sense of urgency about your goal. If you are having trouble doing this, refine your goals and make them more specific. The more specific your goals are, the easier it will be to set a time frame around it.

This is very critical. Whether we need it or not is debatable but I've always liked to target to run to. For example, when I run (rather, when I used to) what makes it easier for me are 2 very important things - how many KM will I run and/or how many minutes will I run - these are key execution elements with clear validation criterion. I then split up the distance into actual visual objects and I know as I cross them, I'm closer. There's an adrenaline rush when I pass that tree with a big red dot, for example, that I can actually see half a KM away. I also invested in a good running (or fitness) watch way before they became popular. I love to sprint my last KM and the thrill of seeing that in the final report in the watch as the shortest duration is real bliss!

Finally...

That Nike motto! Nike's just bored with folks using it now, I guess, but thanks Nike! "Just Do It"

Unfortunately, this is what proves to be the most difficult step for most. Inertia, procrastination and laziness hold us back from doing what we know we should be doing. Here's some simple advice on how to get things done:

1. Read your goals, your validation criterion and action steps periodically, more than once if possible. I often do it (from memory) in front of the mirror when I brush my teeth. The fear I feel of things yet to achieve & accomplish and the adrenaline rush it provides when I plan my day to set towards it is amazing!

2. Use a diary (I'm still old-fashioned, sorry) that you use daily and fill in your list of actions. If you see what needs to be done in your diary, you are more likely to do it. Obviously, in this age Digital means may be more appropriate. Did I mention it earlier - I like to scribble!

3. Use reminders. You can use an online calendar (like Outlook) or reminder service to send you a reminder email every day. I usually speak about my goals to my family & friends. Digital or not - they are the best reminders that one can ever get!! My kids still remind me about my new year goal to get out of WhatsApp groups that I don't contribute any value to! Go figure!

The trick is to keep your goals and action list on top of your mind somehow, and keep taking action. If you do not do this, chances are they will meet the same fate as my New Year resolution above.

If this sounds like too much work, try to spice it up by making it fun. Introduce elements of things you like. For example, my wife recently introduced combining the chore of folding washed clothes and cleaning the room by combining a trivia quiz while we're at it! The quiz has taken over our 9PM slot every single day now and the kids actually look forward to it! By combining these two activities, she was able to transfer the 'fun' element from one to the other.

Setting goals is an important part of anyone’s success story. Without goals we would all be aimless nomads looking forward to getting lucky with success. Well, it is said that “Luck favors the brave”. The “brave” in that axiom really translates to “good planner” or “efficient goal-setter”. We need to refresh our mindset constantly and keep it alive & kicking to create huge results in our lives.

Happy Goal Setting, all! Until next week...