Step-by-step Process of Goal-Setting

A big hello to my ever-growing LinkedIn community. After doing an article last week on working on one goal at a time, I realized it is equally pivotal to talk about how to set goals. So many of us deal with not being able to achieve our outcomes. Why? Well, the biggest reason, most of the times, is lack of consistency. The further we set a deadline for a goal, the more we would be out of vigor and motivation to work on it - when something seems a bit far-fetched to us, our brain automatically takes it off from our priority list. But, one more factor over here to address is we do not know the right way to set goals for ourselves. So, how can we crack this one along with defining goals for ourselves in the right manner?

For us to be consistently working on our goals, we need to set our goals consistently!

Yes, you heard it right. If we have been working on the same goals for quite sometime, how would we even know if we are progressing or not. We need to set a goal, accomplish, reflect on it if we did it right or where we lagged behind and revise the next goal in the series. Now, in the following pointers, I am going to breakdown for you the goal-setting method:-

1. Define a vision - A vision is broader than a goal because to attain that vision, we need to set many goals. Let's explain with an example. Our vision can be "To transform lives of others for better; to impact and empower and help people live a happy and content life".
2. Work backwards; identify what path we need to opt - Once we have defined a vision for ourselves, now we need to see how we can achieve that. The vision that we chose as an example, say there are two ways to do it - either help people monetarily, set up a foundation and channelize the flow of money into making the lives better. Or, create a lifestyle system that we think can work with people to live a grateful and stress-free life.
3. Recognize things to be done - Now say we have chosen the latter one - to create a system one. How do we do it? Keep breaking it down that what we need to do and how we can do it as I have listed few of them in the following:-

• Create a system - is it going to be something which they have to do everyday as a habit or will it be something they can do once in a week? Is it going to consume a lot of their time?
• Am I doing it as a service to others and make it accessible for free or should I charge something for it?
• How should I spread the word - am I looking at online tools like FB and Instagram ads; do I also have to create my website for better visibility? Am I also targeting offline promotions?
• Do I have the money to afford it?

4. Set detailed, specific, measurable and time-bound goals - Go into details of the goals and set a deadline:-

• What are the specific activities or habits I am inculcating in my system? How much time am I going to spend to work on the system - Once in a day; two hours a day? By when I will be ready with the system? In a month?
• Am I giving the content for my digital ads and my website? How many hours to put in to draft the content? By when should my content be ready? How much time to put in everyday to figure out and finalize who will get my ads and my website ready? What is the deadline?
• Do I have to pool in money for all this? Should I do some other freelance work to sponsor these expenses? What work should I take up? How much hours everyday will it take to finish this work? Should I speak to friends and family to lend me some? What is the deadline for me to have the money ready?

5. Skills & Knowledge - While breaking it down, we will also figure out that to take our goals forward is there any new skill we need to learn or knowledge we need to upgrade?

6. People & Network - The people we hangout with, has an impeccable impact on us. This one is of utmost importance that can literally speed up the process of us getting near to our goals; never ever undermine it. Scan through the 'Power Circle" if someone has already done it what we want to achieve. Role-modelling is an easy way to get the hang of the path we have chosen. These people can act as case-studies. But, if we do not have such people, then better go join meet-ups, conclaves, network. Networking is the thing.

7. Accountability Buddy - Get someone who we can be accountable to for our goals. And make sure this person is persuasive, who can push and encourage us to go chase our goals. Discuss on a weekly basis what needs to be done and share what all we did. This buddy can be a big booster - we all have seasons where we can be low and fatigued. But this person will not leave you and will not let you lose your focus.

8. Reflect, Read through setbacks and Revise - Reflection on what we have done so far, what have we learnt from it and are there any changes we have to make for our future goals - it always keeps us on track and helps us do away with anything redundant and also keeps our pace in check. Having future setbacks listed also helps in navigating through our plan so as to not let the process get halted.

These are few of the major points to consider while goal-setting. In fact, goal setting is integral - but so is growth! Monitor the progress. Looking forward to the progress lets us leap forward. Look at everything as an opportunity. We never know where it can come from and in the end, enjoy the process. Accomplishing our vision is constant work but that should not rub us off the happiness of walking on that road and reaching the destination. Have many short-term goals on the road to our vision so we are consistently celebrating our victories and are forever pumped up to go further and further. And stay happy and positive! Because like attracts like.