3 Simple Ways to Reevaluate Goal-Setting for Better (And Happier) Results
“Aim at the sun, and you may not reach it; but your arrow will fly far higher than if aimed at an object on a level with yourself.” — J. Howes
It’s often been said that goals are best if they’re quantifiable. Most of use had the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-based) goal framework hammered into our brains at school. And whilst I agree that this framework can be helpful in an academic and professional setting, it doesn’t quite cut it for life.
Wherever you look right now, the motto is “go, go, go”. And I think it’s great. We’re in a time of focus on personal development, on being your best self, of growing and building. I love to see it. But I also see all the people slugging their way through ‘goals’ looking more like zombies than those living their #bestlife.
Think of your goals as processes
Number one. Instead of setting your goal to run a 5k in 25 minutes by the end of April, set your goal to simply become a runner. In that way, you’re falling in love with the process — not the result. Falling in love with the process helps you to keep at it everyday, not knocking yourself down because you didn’t hit a certain time or distance.
Recently, someone told me to ‘become a person who prides themselves on being a learner, not someone who is good at things’. This mindset change makes tripping up just part of the process.
Of course, challenging yourself with times and distances can be fun ways to keep your love for a hobby going. So by all means, set yourself challenges. But don’t define your overall goal in numbers.
Think of your goals as a theme
Setting an overall theme, whether it be for the year, month or season, can be a good way to simplify your goals and make bigger changes through smaller, consistent actions. By picking a single word for your theme, you can concentrate each of your actions into hitting your goal.
My theme for this year is simply: “grow”. From starting a new vein in my career, something I will need to nurture into growth, to personal development, throwing myself into more situations to expand, venturing outside of my comfort zone and continuing to learn everything I can about the world. When faced with a decision, I simply ask myself “does this help me grow?”, if the answer is yes, it’s a no-brainer.
Some examples for your one word may be: Grow. Focus. Travel. Expand. Love. Faith. Balance. Hone. Experiment. Explore. Learn. Befriend. Care. Build.
If you’re struggling to pick a theme, list all the goals you’d like to achieve and see if you can find a common vein running through all of them. If you find yourself with too many contradicting ideas, space them out and focus on each of them one by one.
Think of your goals as a character
Your goals, what you do and what you dedicate your time to are a big part of who you are. No doubt you’ve heard the “It’s not a diet it’s a lifestyle choice” argument. This is the same idea. Decide who you’d like to be and align your actions with being that person. The best way to achieve your goals is to become the person who achieves them. And the best way to become that person, is to simply start being them.
Like using a theme, this is something to stop and ask yourself when you’re faced with a decision. “Is this a part of who I want to be?”. It’s a great way to kick bad habits and keep yourself from creating new ones, driving your energy towards positive tasks and focuses to help you grow.
