What have Wordsworth and goal setting have in common? Let me explain.
I’ve been writing and sticking to my goals since 1989 when I was first taught a pragmatic method which I’ve improved and refined since. I’m now going to share this with you in three simple steps.
Step One: Elect a long term vision or goal. I do this every five years (2020 is the time to renew this). Here, I figure out my direction for my life, both personal and professional. This is strategic and big chunk.
I timeline this, was shown how to do this way back in the day, and it works every time. It means the 5-year goals come to life. It’s NLP and very hypnotic so you may not “dig” this method. Email me personally if you want more on this approach.
Step Two: I mindmap my years’ goals and objectives. They’re becoming more tactical now, but some are still goals. I always think goals have little or no plan attached to them; they are merely aims, whereas objectives have more of a plan to get there. Many people use SMART with objectives. This is sensible.
I mindmap, because I do, have done for over 30 years. I have main branches from the central core, typically:
- Health and Fitness
- Wellness and Personal
- Marketing and Business Development
- Self Development (CPD)
- Financials (targets and KPIs)
- Digital Delivery and Futurising
- Writing and Publishing
Step Three: Transfer goals and objectives into quarterly action plans – Q1 through to Q4. Now they become very tactical, almost actions with clearly defined measures and plans. These are to be achieved over the three-month span but are not always, especially if I enter a “work tunnel” or two. I try to finish them, though.
I stick to these plans; they give me direction and purpose every time if I enter a quiet period or a week of long train journeys where I instantly know what to do whilst trundling along the Cotswold Line at 60 mph with my laptop on the table in front of me.
My goal system works for me; without it, I’d be rudderless and would drift without a care in the world, wandering lonely as a cloud, resting on my couch in a vacant mood. Now that would be awful, wouldn’t it? With thanks to Wordsworth.
