How I Set Goals - 2.0

Back in October 2018, was the first time I shared my goal setting framework on my blog. You can read it here at https://www.matthewcossens.com/post/how-i-set-goals

Prior to that I had shared the framework with close friends, work colleagues and people I coached. This goal setting framework has been viewed, shared and adopted by many people I know and those who have adopted it have achieved great results either individually or in doing this with their partner.

It’s full on for a goal setting process but everything worthwhile is uphill ??

It’s a topic I am passionate about and like all good things it has evolved over the last 10+ years (and in the last 3 years since sharing it on my blog) through experience, feedback, and learning. The bones of the framework are the same and a lot of the process, but the lens I view my goals through has changed. The questions I ask myself have changed (better questions = better answers) and I have taken it a step further.

So what has changed?

Before I even consider my goals I know look at each of the 6 areas and consider the following:

1. What is my identity in this space? Who am I when it comes to these areas? Who do I want to be in these areas?
2. What are my reasons to chase goals in this area? The real reasons! Are they big enough to get after it?
3. What is the commitment I will make to myself and another person in each of these areas to hold me accountable? Is this commitment enough?

Who do I need to connect with, spend more time with or get in the proximity of to level up my game in this area? What additional content can I consume.

Let me share with you an example of this in practice.

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Health

My identity is – I am considered an athlete at whatever age/stage I am in life.

The reasons to chase my goals are – I want to be healthy for my wife, children, grandchildren and extend my quality of life for the maximum time possible. I want to be strong, fit and able to do whatever my heart desires.

The commitment I have made is – I told my wife when we were getting married that I would stay in the same shape or better over our life journey. There have been ups and downs with injuries and life in general over the years but this commitment always brings me back on track.

I need to spend more time in the proximity of the professional athletes at boxing/MMA to understand how they manage their conditioning and more importantly recovery. I will consume additional content in regard to breathing, stretching and recovery.

You don’t need to overcomplicate your identity, reasons or commitment but they do need to be strong drivers and personal to you. They need to be powerful enough to quiet that voice in your head and drive you to execute.

You do need to find people who are the level above in areas of your life, get close to them, learn, ask questions, grow. This needs to be deliberate! This could be a goal if you haven’t identified people in the key areas.

I then work through setting 3 goals and 3 new habits to achieve these goals.

Why this process? Because it’s not just about SMART goals. Everyone can write SMART goals but I believe to chase your goals (and ultimately your dreams) then your goals need to be tied to who you are, have a compelling reason and a commitment you have made to you and another person. This is what drives me to get after it, that drives my discipline and helps me grow to the next level!

Other questions I regularly get asked on Goals!

Why 3 goals and 3 habits?

There is a simple reason for 3 goals and 3 habits. It really comes down to maths. Most years I will achieve 14 to 15 of the goals I set out to achieve. (77%-83%) If I only set 2 goals the max I could achieve is 12 and if I land at 75% that is only 9.

It might be simple but it works!

Do you always hit all your goals? What if you don’t hit a goal?

No, in fact I can’t recall a year when I have hit all 18, and that is ok! You need to be comfortable with failure, particularly when setting high/hard goals. It’s about the process of reflection, why didn’t you hit that goal? Where did it fall down? Don’t search for the excuse here, find the real reason.

Reflect, learn and grow. Reset in that area and go again. Life is about understanding that you can’t have it all, all the time. The 6 areas of your life are infinite games. You can’t ‘win’ Health, you can’t ‘win’ Family etc – dream big and get after it!

What if you hit your goal early?

There are two answers to this question.

1. Some goals are designed in a way that I cannot hit them early. An example of this would be in Health the goal might be to maintain <10% body fat for the entire year. I would scan monthly and make adjustments as required. This keeps me locked in for the 12 months
2. If I hit my goal early it could because I have overachieved. That’s great – I would simply move that goal to a higher mark. Similarly, I could have set the goal too low, in which case again I would increase the bench mark. For the key drivers for the year I personally set a base expectation, a stretch goal (hard/high goal) and an ultimate goal. I’ve talked about this in a previous blog.

How do you find the time to get all this done?

Routine, habits, discipline and the ability to say no. The first 3 you hone through hard work, dedication and just putting in the reps. I’m focused on my routine, specific about my schedule and arrange this around the goals I set.

On top of this I am happy to say no to things that would take me off track, away from my goals or be excuses for not delivering what I am chasing after.

I spend my time on the things I love, with the people I love, doing what I love. It sounds cliché but that is how I live my life.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or drop me a DM – I’m more than happy to share more information or answer any other questions you may have.

How do you set goals? What is your process? I’d love to hear from you about your own process.

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