3 Keys to Goal-Setting Prep
We realized recently that there’s a lot of talk about goal setting, there isn’t much discussion about what we should do before setting your goals. That’s why our focus today will be on goal-setting prep!
Click the player to listen to this episode of The BIGG Success Show Podcast. Below is a summary of our discussion.
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When it comes to setting goals – there’s all kinds of advice. Some say to set goals that push you. Some say don’t set goals that are too challenging. We like what Zig Ziglar has to say:
“A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
That quote shows why goal-setting prep is so important. Let’s go to The Professor’s Whiteboard to talk about how to properly prepare to set your goals.
1) Make it personal
Think about what YOU really want. Other people will set goals for you if you let them.
For example, you may set a goal to go for a promotion in a promising area in your company. But your boss knows how valuable you are. He or she may try to convince you to stay put. So you change your goal to stay put and get a raise. Sure, you may get that raise, but you’ll likely miss out on other opportunities available to those in the high-growth department.
Also, make sure that you aren’t setting goals to please other people.
For example, you set a goal to volunteer more of your time to organizations, but in reality you are doing that to make the people in those organizations happy, not yourself.
If you set a goal that is true to you – you will be closer than ever to achieving it. As you prepare to set goals, make sure you are thinking about you. Make it personal.
2) Make it positive
Someone who wants to stash away some extra cash may say they want to “cut $100 a month in expenses”. That’s one way to express our goal. But it’s a negative. We humans resist negatives like “cutting” because it involves the loss of something. However, we can turn this into a positive goal if we say “save $100 a month.” In the end, it’s the same goal. It’s just stated positively in the second case. Positive motivates. Negative doesn’t.
So as you are preparing to set goals, watch for negative thoughts and words. Focus on the positive.
3) Make it meaningful
Is the goal a good fit for who you want to become?
In determining what is most meaningful to you…think about your hopes and dreams. Think about the things that bring you happiness and joy. Think about the things that inspire and energize you.
Is the goal BIGG enough to challenge you and contribute significantly to your vision and mission?
As you think about goals, realize they shouldn’t be easy to achieve. They should stretch you at least a little bit. For example, if you currently have $100 dollars to your name, setting a goal for having $101 doesn’t make much difference. To set a goal to have $200 definitely makes a difference.
With the first goal, you see a 1% increase in your financial well-being, while the second goal increases your financial well-being by 100%. That’s a significant difference. In other words, the first goal doesn’t contribute to your vision and mission in a meaningful way. The second one does.
As you prepare to set goals, think about your vision and mission.
BIGG Takeaway
With another year upon us, it’s important to take some time to fully think about the direction that you to take, and then set the right goals that will take you there. Just like any journey, a little preparation (in this case goal-setting prep) goes a long way to BIGG success.
George “The Professor” & Mary-Lynn
Co-Founders, BIGG Success
Direct link to The BIGG Success Show audio file | podcast:
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/biggsuccess/01082-113021.mp3
