Are you starting to lose focus on your goals? If so, you’re not alone. This is the time of year a lot of people lose their focus.
The problem is that annual goal-setting doesn’t work. You can’t plan an entire year and know in advance all the goals you will need to achieve. It’s likely that many of your goals are no longer motivating and many no longer make sense.
If goal-setting hasn’t been working for you, here’s how to set the right goals that will get you where you want to go:
1. Always keep your vision in mind while choosing goals.
The point of setting goals is to support you in moving toward your vision. Without a clear vision, your goals might not take you where you want to go.
There’s a big difference between a vision and a goal. Vision is your destination. Goals are the milestones that mark your journey. They quantify and define the steps you take along the way.
Where your vision is broad and big, goals are tangible and specific. They answer questions like “when?’ and “how?” and “how much?” SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Here are three guidelines to keep in mind when choosing goals:
- Look for high-leverage goals – those that will allow you to leapfrog forward.
- Consider goals that will have a long-term payoff, even at a short-term price. For example, you might choose some inexperienced high potential players for your team, with a plan to help them gain the skills and experience.
- Look for goals that will give you some quick wins. This will help you see progress and stay motivated.
2. Be willing to reset your goals.
Don’t get so focused on your goals that you forget about your vision. Change is inevitable. It is said it takes 1001 mid-course corrections to reach the moon.
The trick is to stay focused on your vision, and, as in sailing, “tack” to your destination. Change your course depending on the winds and other conditions.
3. Revisit your vision frequently.
Sometimes teams drift off course without realizing it. And so can individuals. To avoid waking up one day wondering how you got so far off course, revisit your goals frequently and use them as an early warning system to detect when you are off course.
4. Set up systems and practices that support your goals.
On a personal level – what structures and routines do you need to set up to develop the habits that will support your vision? – regular exercise time?
For a team, look at your formal and informal ways of working together. Consider processes for communication, accountability, training and rewards. For example, if teamwork is one of your goals– are there rewards for team performance or is the focus on individual contributions? Systems that are not aligned with your vision and goals will derail you and your team.
5. Set goals for relationships as well as tasks.
The journey is as important as the destination. Are your actions consistent with your values and where you want to go? Make sure you have a good feedback system in order to know.
6. Set goals as you go.
Vision is about COURAGE. Goals are about TAKING ACTION.
As soon as you identify your vision, start to live it. You can’t create a vision for a healthy life and continue a diet of junk food. As a leader, not only must you say what’s important, you need to demonstrate it – consistently. People watch what you do more closely than what you say.
Taking action means not waiting for all the details to be worked out. When you are clear about where you’re going, and have set goals for the next steps, the entire path does not be clear. As long as you keep your vision in mind, the next steps will become clear as you accomplish your goals.
6 TIPS TO SET GOALS THAT WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO
Here’s a more in-depth explanation of the relationship between vision and goals and how to make your goals work for you.
Six Tips to Set Goals That Will Get You Where You Want to Go.
Hi Jesse
I really liked the personal approach of goal setting in as much as making them work for you! The animation of setting the goal then being knocked off course and seeking and re-seeking to return to the goal is I guess what we all tend to do. The sailing analogy was perfect for explaining how we drift off course and obviously we reset our goal to reach the same destination.
I was encouraged by tip 4. Set up systems and practices that support your goals.
“On a personal level – what structures and routines do you need to set up to develop the habits that will support your vision? – regular exercise time?” to quote you exactly. As you may recall I am trying to share the MYCASKI personal reminder model as a way of providing a consistent leadership mindset. Regular consideration and practice of it will create the habits that you refer to. It costs nothing but a few minutes each day and the desire to achieve better leadership.
I look forward to viewing more of your insights and please feel free to share, talk and use MYCASKI if you believe it may be habit forming to an end of sustaining the journey of reaching more goals.
Kind Regards…Raymond
Glad you enjoyed the animation in the video of why it’s so easy to get over-focused on our goals and lose sight of the vision. It demonstrates it so much better than I could through writing.
Agree on the importance of setting up processes to remind us to follow through on our commitments. Your model sounds like it could be helpful. Good luck with that, Raymond, and thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
For sure, the vision and the associated goals (as well as the objectives that some people also use…) are DYNAMIC items: with the important frequent self-assessment, refinements will happen and total redevelopment will as well. The most specific (goals with two, objectives with three) must also receive specific consideration as to how it will be assessed, how do we know how well things are going.
Their being dynamic should not be surprising at all. Think about it: you have a vision of being self-employed / a goal of having a capability of developing a business plan in eighteen months. There is no way that either can be assured with the first procedure devised… Changes to the vision, to the goals, are virtually guaranteed to be necessary!!!
Well said, John!
And yet, most organizations set yearly goals and then evaluate people according to them.
Great read Jesse. It´s clear that different stakeholders require different ultimate goals.
It is important that companies think not only about defining objectives, but also about the objectives hierarchy. That hierarchy starts with the ultimate goal. The big thing. The way this ultimate goal should be defined depends on whether you are a profit or non-profit oriented company.
Glad you enjoyed it, Chris. I wonder when you talk about an ultimate goal if you mean larger vision or BHAG as defined by Collins and Porras. In any case, I agree that smaller goals are steps in the journey. Curious about your assumptions about the difference between profit and nonprofit. You might enjoy my post What Business Are You Really In? which talks about why all businesses need a noble purpose. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
My favorite is Step #5 – set goals for relationships as well as tasks. Thanks for the reminder of the importance of a dual focus on relationship/task.
Glad you called that out, Fay. One of the most important points in my view as well.
I just read that the word “priority” was a singular word when introduced in the English language in the 1400s. Now we talk about priorities. No wonder we can get so off course. This was such a timely reminder to me as I can craft a HUGE “to do list” that makes me “busy” but not focused. The notion of changing direction when you realize the “goal” is not advancing the vision has great power. Thanks, Jesse
Interesting. Vision is a singular word also. When goals emerge from a singularity, the real priorities emerge naturally. I think we get confused about the real priorities because they’re not connected to anything greater. Thanks for your insights, Eileen!
Mine like Fay’s is #5 Relationships and tasks. To me relationships have never been so important in the achievement of goals as they are today. Everything moves so fast nobody can keep up with it all. So we need other folks to helps us. Relationships are so key to building knowledge and skills and for encouraging and praising our progress towards our goals. Thank you Jesse for that reminder.
Great point, Jane – relationships are essential because it’s not possible to do it all yourself. Isn’t it interesting that as technology becomes more and more central, relationships also become more important. The Lone Ranger would not get far in today’s world.
Thanks Jesse for giving me that push I needed to pursue my vision. I’ve always dreamed of having my own family business but I’ve always put myself down because I’m looking at something far from my reach. I think I need to split that up into manageable goals and take action NOW instead of leaving my vision to be just a dream 😉
I need to live that vision and enjoy the journey of getting there one goal at a time 🙂
Sounds like you were ready for that push, Khalid. Have you read my book Full Steam Ahead! Unleash the Power of Vision? It might offer you some helpful guidance along the journey. If I were to offer one guideline it would be the importance of understanding and embracing creative tension – maintaining an accurate assessment of reality while holding onto your vision. The journey isn’t always fun. But it is meaningful. Wishing you the best as you pursue your vision!
When you say that our vision should be revisited frequently I understand we might change our goals to reach our vision, or even the vision could be subject to chances?
Good question, Sergio. It would depend on your definition of vision. I define vision as “a results-oriented picture of the future you intend to create that shows what is happening when you are fulfilling your purpose and living your values.” The picture might change as you get more deeply connected with your purpose and understand it better. But the essence of your vision is not likely to change unless something fundamental changes your purpose (your reason for existence). This is true for organizations and for individuals.
I think that the key is to set or reset your goals – which for so many is very hard to do. It comes down to being able to make what I call a ‘radical decision’. When I started to make those ‘radical decision’ it changed my entire life: I lost 55 pounds, wrote an Amazon best seller, and grew my business with additional income and clients.
Agree. The key is knowing when reset your goals. And the key to that is seeing how they are connected to a larger picture or purpose. Thanks for weighing in, Lauren.
Jesse,
I love the video. A second helping of learning always helps me. Setting your goals in line with your vision. How does factoring in the external environment and internal capabilities fit with what you are saying?
Glad you watched the video – it has some content that is best explained through visuals, not words. Great question, Jake!. We need to factor the external environment and internal capabilities as we consider our current situation and set the trajectory of goals. Vision must always be viewed through the creative tension of holding your vision while maintaining a realistic view of current reality. Otherwise you are in danger of having your head in the clouds (vision-focused only) or feet stuck in the mud (reality-focused only). Thanks, Jake!