Setting Goals
A goal is a thing to be aimed at. In soccer, you shoot at the goal. It has three posts and a line in the grass. A goal is well defined. You know when you miss high or to the right. The same goes for life. In order to hit a goal, it has to be defined and you have to take a shot. With practice, your shots will get better and better.
Good goals are: Big, Specific, Measurable and For Others.
Bad goals are: Small, Vague, Slippery, For yourself only.
Big.
If your goal is too small you run the risk of hitting it and thinking you can’t achieve more. Set big goals, because even if you miss, you’ve missed a high mark. You can be mediocre without setting goals, so don't set mediocre goals.
Specific.
Think back to a soccer goal. It makes a very clear rectangle. It is specific, so you know when you score. If you know how you scored, you can think back and get better at each of the component pieces of hitting the goal.
“I missed high, my aim needs work. I can practice shooting drills.”
“My shot wasn’t long enough, I need to work on power. Need to increase lifting and shots on goal.”
“I scored, but almost missed the pass. I need work on running endurance.”
“Upper 90 goal, my shooting drills are paying off.”
Measurable
The strategy for achieving your goals is consistent. It's been proven time and time again that disciplined progress, using habits, for 90 days will lead to success. But the tactics you use are going to change from goal to goal. A physical goal is going to have different tactics than a learning goal. You have to be able to measure the progress toward your goal to understand if you are making progress toward it.
For others
You will achieve the goal, but it needs achieved in a way that betters the life of others. This is important for two reasons. First, we are not striving out of selfish ambition. Setting a goal that only benefits you has the possibility of becoming selfish. Second, as you progress through the 90 days, you will have days where you struggle. If your goal is set for your benefit, you will, just like I have for years, tell yourself that you’re not worth the work. This is wrong, but it’s loud. One of the best counter arguments I’ve found for this in years of goal setting is that I cannot tell myself that my kids are not worth it. That my wife, my friends or my family are not worth it. The argument falls apart in a way it doesn’t when I tell myself I’m not worth it. Gradually you can reverse this negative internal talk, but it will rear its head quickly and setting a goal that benefits others is an excellent roundhouse kick to knock it out.
