Setting Goals To Achieve Results

As we continue this series highlighting why New Year’s Resolutions don’t work, the second step in the process of creating a Strategic Life Plan focuses on setting goals that align with your vision, mission, and core values. If you haven’t read article #1, I suggest you click here to read it before you continue.  To effectively set goals, you must understand the motivation behind your goals.  When you are clear about your life’s vision and mission, you are better able to make a purposeful connection and set goals that align with your life’s purpose.  When you don’t make that connection first, your goals will have one purpose: to serve you.

What are your core values? What do you hold in high importance that gives your life meaning? In addition to your vision and mission, it is important to define your core beliefs or values. I describe these as non-material success indicators. Most people define success in terms of money or material possessions, and there’s no denying money provides freedom and creates a comfortable lifestyle, but what if extreme amounts of money never materialize? Does that mean you aren’t successful? Absolutely not! Once you tap into your core values and position your goals to align with what matters most, your future successes will be more meaningful and less self-serving than if that connection was never made.  Although your core values are not quantifiable and cannot be stated in terms of money, if you choose to live out those values, it will cost you. President Barack Obama solidified this point by saying, “If we aren’t willing to pay a price for our values, then we should ask ourselves whether we truly believe in them at all.”

If you visit my website at www.adrianspeaks.net you will see that I have my vision, mission, and values listed on the home page. This serves as a notice to potential clients and a reminder to me what I represent and what to expect during our partnership. My personal vision, mission, and values are part of my strategic life plan and serve as my guide for setting goals and creating my action plan.

Using the metaphor of a car, your vision, mission, and values are your tires.  They are your foundation and provide the base by which all movements begin and end.  Your goals are your destination.  They are the place you will end up if all goes well. Your action plan is your GPS.  It serves as your map and provides step by step directions to arrive at your destination or to meet your goal. In my newest book 10 Tips to Jumpstart Your Life – Now!, I dedicate a full chapter to setting goals. This chapter outlines the SMART(ER) method for goal setting.  Most people are familiar with the SMART method for goal setting, but the SMART(ER) method connects your goals back to your purpose and emphasizes the need for reviewing your goals periodically. As you write your goals, keep this article as a guide and test each goal to determine if it meets the SMART(ER) criteria. Using the SMART(ER) method assists with writing goals and ensure the goals are developed with clarity. When using this method, your goals should be:

Specific
Your goals should be explicitly written and detail what you plan to accomplish. If your goals are too vague, you will lack direction thus making them harder to achieve.

Measurable
Your goals should be written to include key indicators that signify the target has been met. Without this, how will you know you’ve accomplished your goal?

Attainable
Your goals should be challenging, but not so far out of reach you become discouraged.

Realistic
You will become frustrated if you create goals so far-fetched they are virtually impossible to achieve.

Timely
Create goals with a specified completion date.

Ethical
Your goals should align with your core values and beliefs. They should be written with a purpose of making a positive contribution.

Reviewed
Reviewing your goals is essential to success.  Something that was a priority six months ago may not be as important today.  Allow yourself the flexibility needed to update your goals as necessary.

Now it’s time to work.  I advise all my clients to intentionally set goals in the following five areas: Health, Finances, Family, Business/Career, and Civic.  Focusing on one area too heavily will lead to a life that is out of balance. To enjoy success that is synced and in alignment with your personal vision, mission, and values, balance is essential. As you evolve and find that you are able to maintain balance, you can add additional areas that bring fulfillment to your life.

Your goals should be set using the following 4 time lines:

Take time this week to write your goals in the five areas listed above. To begin the process, set an immediate and short-term goal for each area. Review each goal to ensure it meets the SMART(ER) criteria and aligns with your vision, mission, and core values. Next week, we will focus on creating effective action plans that will carry your goal through completion. The work is just beginning. Embrace your potential and prepare now to live your life with intention and purposed by design.