What are the 3 biggest goals you want to achieve today? How about this week, or this year?
Setting goals and writing them down is the first step towards bringing your ideas into reality. The hardest part? Finding goals you can actually stick to.. it’s easier said than done.
Here the Peopleconnexion team’s tips on how to create strong goals to carry with you throughout your career.
Not all goals are created equal
There are two kinds of goals: “stretch” goals that are those harder-to-reach objectives that are long-lasting, and “SMART” goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based.
Stretch goals tell you what you want, but SMART goals tell you how you will get there.
Set smaller SMART goals every week to help you reach your stretch goal. For example, if your stretch goal is to learn a new language, set a small weekly goal to practice for 10 minutes every day.
It is important to chunk it down into smaller tasks.
Think of it this way: you can’t just wake up one day and say ? my goal today is to learn to play rugby?.
First, you learn the rules. Then, you learn the layout of the field. You learn how to handle the ball, how to pass and how to tackle.
It’s the same process for achieving any goal.
Few people are born with the ability to try something once and master every aspect straight away. By focusing on one component at a time, you are giving yourself the time and space to learn, make mistakes and improve at your own pace.
For example, if you want to be more assertive at work, try breaking it down into micro-skills: altering your tone of voice, modifying your body language, using assertive language and holding a hard conversation.
Sticking to it: How to set SMART goals
When you set goals, make sure they are SMART (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely). Try this exercise below to set your goals for next week:
Specific: What EXACTLY will you do?
Measurable: How will you know if you MEET your goal?
Attainable: What STEPS will you take to reach your goal?
Relevant: What is it about the goal that makes it IMPORTANT to you?
Timely: WHEN do you plan to complete your goal?
This framework can be used at work, for your overall career plan and even in your personal life.
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