Goal Planning Series

Correct Mindset

The mindset needed to be better at goal planning which are as following:

Firstly, 100% commitment – It defines your success or failure, so if you have to be good at goal setting and achieving. You need to have 100 % commitment.

Secondly, No perfection/rigidity – Start today and you can improve during the process. But yes, having adequate knowledge is really important.

Thirdly, 0 comfort zone – To achieve growth and success you need to have goals. For goals, you also need to get out of your comfort zone and take action.

Fourthly, Action oriented – Taking action is important. If you want to have growth because knowing = not knowing if actions are not taken.

Finally, Persistent and consistent – In your actions are equally important for growth.

Have specific goals

The goal is something that is more specific and results in some specific result. It can modify or evolve with time.

Goals need to be specific as to when goals are specific it can result in a good performance and better results. Vague goals are never going to get the best of results. For being specific we need to define the goals in terms of the precise result which we want to achieve.

The vision, resolution, and goals need to be aligned with each other for better results. So, if your vision is to be healthy, set a goal of exercise for 25 minutes and a calorie count of 1000. The resolutions accordingly can include healthy food in the daily diet. 25 minutes of exercise daily and so on.

Have measurable goals

As we all know goals are just like destinations. So, when we know the destinations we need to actually measure how far we have reached. How was our performance in the journey. Moreover, if any deviations is needed we can work out the action plan accordingly. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm vanishes in a small period of time. Many times we also feel we are on the right track. But when we reach the end we find we are not able to achieve the goals.

Further, we need to use the triangulated method of measurement. It means the goal measurement should be based on 3 parameters for overall better results and analysis.

Have Attainable and actionable goals

Attainable means doing a self-assessment of your capabilities and resources available. These includes time, effort or also any other resources we have. If a person is able to accurately assess the ability and their utilization of resources, then success is more possible. The smoothness of the process will also be much better.

It also assures you to have motivation in you throughout as you are well aware of the things. This will help you set goals in order to make them challenging and stretched.

Actionable means to focus on the action plan. When we are having goals we should make sure that we have a guideline or action plan of atleast 10% of the tasks which need to be performed to achieve the goals.

Have Relevant goals

Relevant means the goals should directly benefit you. They should also be related to your field and should add up to your betterment. Here, there can be a situation where one person can have multiple goals.

Effort Vs value matrix simply has a 2 by 2 matrix where effort is mentioned on the vertical axis and value is mentioned on the horizontal axis. Further, divide it boxes as low and high on both axes.

Pareto principle It is also called the 80 20 principle which means 20 % of your goals will give 80% of the results. So, choose that 20% of the goals which need to be focused on as these will be the most relevant goals to follow.

Have time bound goals

The goals need to be time-bound as we have a deadline. Also, we know When to start? How much time to give? How to not to procrastinate,

Firstly, have action feedback loops

Many times, we make goals and plan actions also but what we miss is an active feedback loop. This loop also basically defines how frequently we should take feedbacks and assess our tasks.

Taking care of planning fallacy – This is again very important as we generally overestimate our abilities and underestimate the time and resources. we are bad planners.

Visualize Your Goals

“Your success or failure – All depends on what you visualize”

It is one power that is within us. But, we either do not realize it or we underestimate it. Whatever goals we make, if we do not have the intention or we do not believe in it, we will not be able to achieve them.

How can we set the intention?

How can we establish our belief in them?

The one thing for sure which is very powerful for the same is visualization with setting the right goals.

Firstly, have a goal card, secondly, Write your goals daily, Write affirmations daily, Read and listen to inspirational stories, Have a vision board.

Be Accountable

Whom are they accountable?

They are accountable to themselves for achieving their goals and to the accountability partner.

For this, they use various options?

Timeline marker – Timeline marker like lucid chart helps to see and maintain a timeline of what we are planning to achieve and how much we have achieved. These consist of lots of shapes and automation, which makes helps us to be on track. These are easily modifiable.

Who is an accountability partner?

An accountability partner is a family member/friend/tool/app that can help you to be on track by checking on your progress in your goals.

Track Your Goals

We need to track goals because:

For focus as there will be no distraction.

For making tasks easier as the task is broken into smaller parts and the completion of these smaller milestones helps in making the task easier.

For reducing the chances of failure as tracking is done by consistent, simultaneous, and shorter action feedback loops.

For discipline, efficiency, and prioritizing the tasks at work can be managed in a proper manner.

How can we track goals?

The goals need to be tracked by the action feedback loop.

With this, the tracking and work are done simultaneously.

135 To-do list

135 Formula which says a To-Do list consists of limited tasks that too aligned according to your energy level in a day.

1 means 1 Big Task which should be the first thing on your To-Do list and the time assigned should be when you are high on energy.

3 means 3 Medium Tasks which should be after 1 high task on your To-Do list and the time assigned should be when you have medium energy.

5 means 5 Easy Task which should be last on your To-Do list and the time assigned should be when you are low on your energy. In general the evening time.

It makes sure that if some task on your To-Do is left out it will be an easy or small task. Remember “Even if you fail, the act of accountability will help to analyze the reason for failure and start again”