The SMART money is on the Why
Josh Comrie
I help founders scale, solve and exit to freedom | Adviser | Founder | Speaker | Investor
Fess-up... I used to create very self-centered goals, they were very ego-driven and all about Josh. You know, the ‘what I’ll get or have’ type of goals. Most of what you’ll consume about goal-setting focuses on these aspects; $x in salary, a new house, a nice car, a first-class trip etc. And that worked for me for a while, but frankly, and for myself, in the absence of “greater” (other people and giving) goals, now they’re a bit... well yuck.
Don’t get me wrong, I still set goals around getting nicer stuff, but I temper them with the external goals now, and most importantly with the reasons.
The reason I’m discussing this is that I’ve just completed my goals for 2020; as always, allowing myself time to ponder them over the break. As it’s a well-worn path for me, the key areas of focus are:
Spiritual
Relationships
Giving - Philanthropic
Financial - Investment (Wealth)
Financial - Income
Physical (Fitness/Health)
Reward (the stuff I’m going to do for myself for being such a good boy; travel, material etc)
Rightly or wrongly, I LOVE a good stretch target. I also prefer targets that seem unreachable, and more often than not I fall a bit short. But that’s ok, as they’re further away than I would’ve anticipated I could reach in the first place. Other people like to set something reachable - as underachievement can create despondence. Whatever works for you.
I use the SMART framework, along with stating the goal in the positive and as if I’ve achieved it. None of this, in my opinion, is the secret to over-achievement.
The key is focusing on the WHY. Why is this goal important to me? Why is it important to my team/customers/investors etc? What type of person will I become? What skills will I develop? Who else will I take on the journey with me? Whose life can I positively impact through this goal? I find focusing on this aspect brings the goal into a sharp focus and really creates my personal why.
An example for me for 2020 is “To meditate daily”. You’ll note that this is a process, not an outcome goal. “Achieving spiritual enlightenment” seemed unrealistic, and it's a step up from my 5x per week current practice. Why is this important? Simple, life is just better when I meditate; I sleep better, make better decisions, can relax properly and am better all round in relationships. If I falter from the goal (I will), then I simply go back to the why. Why wouldn’t I!?!
What do you do to make your goals real? How do you achieve things you may have considered otherwise unattainable? What’s your greatest goal moment?
CEO @ The Attention Agency ??
4 年Fessing up also... I had never set goals until about 18 months ago, when something (or rather, someone) compelled me to think about it ???? I also love the way James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, suggests that we become much more likely to succeed at achieving our goals if we build them around our identity or the kind of person we want to be. In his words, "Most people (myself included) will want to become better this year. Many of us, however, will set performance- and appearance-based goals in hopes that they will drive us to do things differently. If you're looking to make a change, then I say stop worrying about results and start worrying about your identity."
On a Mission to Educate ,Empower and Employ Nepal
4 年great best wishes josh?