Thereās an infinite list of things to do.
The world is your oyster, full of shiny pearls vying for your attention. You just have to decide whether to reach out and grab them or not.
However, we each only have a finite time on this planet.
You can only pick up so many pearls. And the shiniest ones sit on the seafloor, beneath the jellyfish, sharks and whales that patrol the seas above them, awaiting your arrival.
With so many possibilities, the most difficult challenge we face is not rejecting things we dislike doing - thatās easy. The hard part is rejecting things that we enjoy doing, because we know they donāt help us achieve our goals.
Only through the clarity of our intentions can we reject the impulses of our desires, sacrificing the short-term in pursuit of the long-term.
Clear intentions x daily actions = progress
Goal-setting is about listening in to what makes you tick, clarifying what your definition of success is and updating your progress as you continue to grow.
Hereās how to master goal-setting.
#1: Tune into Your Own Ambition šÆ
āThe happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flowā - Hector G. Puigcerver
Reject other peopleās goals.
Donāt spend your life saving to buy a house, because your mum told you it brought her more happiness than finding out she was pregnant with you.
You are not your parents.
Nor is there one ābestā goal you should have, regardless of whether it relates to your career, relationships or lifestyle. Each one depends on your priorities.
Hereās how you hum to your own tune.
1) Spot the societal pressure
What āsuccessā looks like is drilled into the back of our skulls from birth. Itās parroted by parents, teachers and friends who profess to want the best for us.
Here are 7 societal goals to take a second look at:
āBuy a Ferrariā - Really? Do you even like cars?
āStart a businessā - Do you know what starting a biz actually means?
āTravel the worldā - Why? Is there one place you want to see?
āBuy your first homeā - Do you even want the hassle of a house?
āSave Ā£x for retirementā - Why not live more while youāre young?
āGet a ārealā corporate jobā - Is this actually the career you enjoy?
āMarry a long-term partnerā - Why married? Why only one partner?
To set goals that will mean something to you, see the societal pressure for what it is. Other people telling you how to live your life.
Only you can do that.
2) Brainstorm your intentions
To step forwards, you must first look backwards.
Look at the life domains below and the suggested life areas within each of them. Then pick 3-5 areas per domain, noting them down.
Personal - health & wellbeing, mindset & spirituality, knowledge & learning, travel & adventure, fun & relaxation, home setup, contribution to others, personal finances.
Work - personal work performance, career progression, professional status, company progression, company finances, social impact, team & colleagues.
Social - family, friends, romantic partner(s), colleagues, acquaintances & networking.
For each of the 9-15 life areas youāve chosen, reflect on what went well & what didnāt go so well over the last 12 months. Then on what you want to maintain & improve for the area over the next year.
Add them into a table like the following:
Now youāve got the intentions we can turn them into actions.
3) Prioritise the pathway
Review what your intentions.
Pick out those that feel most meaningful and important to you right now. The ones that provide the gasoline to set your heart alight with passion.
If theyāre scary, thatās good. It means youāre doing it right. Intentions are meant to push you beyond what is comfortable. Get them written down.
Then add an impact score to the ones you choose.
1 - It would have minimal impact on your life.
5 - It would make some difference to your life.
10 - It would change everything about your life.
Rank the intentions by score. Ten at the top, one at the bottom.
Now you have a prioritised list of intentions you can turn into actions.
Share your top intentions in the comments.
#2: Give Your Goals Clarityš„
āGoals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.ā - Stephen Covey
Without a clear goal, youāll have no idea if youāve achieved it.
Your intention will never be complete as the boundaries slip further and further away from you as the hedonic treadmill of life keeps trundling on.
To laser focus in on your goals, you need to take your top 3 intentions and make them SMARTER. Only then will you know what to do, and how to achieve them.
1) Make your goals SMARTER
Specific
How would you phrase your goal using this format ā āI will [BEHAVIOUR] [WHEN] with [FREQUENCY] in [LOCATION] [HOW]ā?
Measurable
How and when will you be tracking and measuring your progress? What does success look like and how can you easily monitor it?
Achievable
How achievable is it on a scale of 0 to 10? What might get in the way of achieving it? How can you overcome these obstacles?
Realistic
To what extent are you realistically able to commit to it given all the things you anticipate happening in your life during this upcoming month?
Timebound
When do you expect to start and complete your goal? Will you be able to prioritise it during these periods?
Exciting
How exciting is this goal for you? Can you add rewards to make the achievement of it even more exciting?
Relevant
How is this goal linked to the things that matter the most to you right now? Ask yourself 5 times ā āWhy is it important to me ā what will it give me?ā
Create 1-3 SMARTER goals per intention, adding them to table like this:
2) Put the goals on a timeline
Now youāve got a list of SMARTER goals, itās time to put them on a timeline so you can focus your energy throughout the year.
Look at the 12 months ahead. Break-down the goals by quarter. Add only two goals per quarter maximum. Be realistic about your priorities.
Then slot them all together.
Now youāve got goals with a timeline.
3) Create systems to help you
Finally, set yourself up for success by acknowledging the habits youāll need to complete each goal. Breakdown the little actions that will move the needle towards your SMARTER goal.
Here are some little actions to consider:
Schedule the goal in your diary.
Turn off distractions to get in the frame of mind.
Habit stack the activity after a habit you already do.
Prime your environment by making the activity easy to do.
Find an accountability partner & make it regular.
Check out the Guide on Habits for even more juicy actions you take to make your goals even more achievable.
#3: Change Your Trajectory š
āWe overestimate what we can achieve in one year, but we underestimate what we can achieve in ten yearsā - Bill Gates
Your goals will change.
In 6 months, that financial target that lit your soul alive wonāt matter to you anymore because your priorities shifted. Thatās life.
It doesnāt mean you āfailedā. It means you re-evaluated your priorities and took action to change your goals.
It means you made progress. You aimed for the stars and fell on the moon. Youāre several steps further than when you had no goal at all. Thatās a win.
But, how do you evaluate your progress without overthinking it?
Hereās howā¦
1) Do a weekly check-in with yourself
Add a 30 min slot every Sunday evening for āReflectionsā. Grab a pen and a notebook. Then answer the following:
Summarise your week: in 2-3 sentences.
What went well this week?
What could have been improved?
Did I achieve everything I intended to?
Am I on track towards my long-term goals?
Does anything need to change next week?
Youāll be forced to summarise your progress, reflect on whatās been working and take action on changes that need to be made.
2) Review your progress once a quarter
Schedule in a 2 hour slot every 3 months for you to sit-down and review how far youāve come with your goals. Ask yourself?
Did I achieve the goals for this quarter?
What lessons can I apply to the next 3 months?
What habits should I start to achieve the next 3 monthās goals?
Do my goals for the next quarter still resonate or shall I tweak them?
If not, why not? Were they too ambitious or did I not prioritise them?
Only allow yourself to change your goals at the 3 month mark. Youāll be flexible to shifting priorities without giving up too soon.
Once you commit at the quarterly review, then execute every day.
3) Goal plan your trajectory once every 12 months
Put a day aside once a year to reminisce on each and every month. Celebrate the wins, list out the challenges and get clear on how youāve evolved and grown. Then go long-term and set your intentions 1, 3 5 & 10 years:
1 Year - What are the immediate priorities?
3 Years - What does excelling in my intentions look like?
5 Years - What seems unrealistic, but is achievable with time?
10 Years - What would you dream of doing, but seems impossible?
Link the years together. The intentions should flow, with each one helping you to achieve the next one.
Each time you goal plan, see if you shift up your goals from the 5 Year box to the 3 Year box to the 1 Year box and so on.
This is the sign of progress.
The Summary
Letās recap: To master goal setting you need to tune into your own ambition, give your goals clarity and change your trajectory.
Thereās your 5 minute guide, now take action.
š Recommended Book: Ikigai by Hector Garcia - Itās a great book on understanding how to combine you passions, what the world needs and earning a living.
š Recommended Article: The Einstein Principle by Cal Newport - Do more by doing less. The principle suggests focusing on only a few projects at once, purging those that simply arenāt important.
š Recommended Guide: Goal Setting by James Clear - How rudders and oars can be used to set āclearā goals. Define your lower and upper bounds to know your growth zone.