Let’s talk about goal setting. Goal setting is essential to living a more meaningful and happier life as well as all the distractions and disappointment that come along with this territory.
Big goals can be really overwhelming and exhausting. The anxiety we associate with these big goals can be crushing. When you set a big goal, break it down into mini goals that are achievable and measurable, make sure that you set specific times to check in on progress and adjust as needed.
Frame your goal as a positive achievement rather than something negative you want to avoid. Not to ignore the feeling but to frame the intended outcome. Decide that you want to be your own boss and run a business vs you hate your job and you want to leave your boss.
Speak your goals out loud; to a friend, family, the universe, your religious leader etc… Personal and professional goals all need small steps to make them happen. Make a plan to reach your goals and give yourself some grace along the way.
The daily grind. We all know it and feel it. We get into the slog that is the every dayness of life. Sometimes it can be depressing, overwhelming, exhausting. Sometimes it can be exciting, thrilling, invigorating. But all the time it is work. It is the work of life and living. Whether you are raising a family, building a business, taking care of aging parents, or searching for employment you are likely busy doing things every day. How then, do you find time to even think about goals, much less set them?
At Go Boldly Initiative we know how hard it is to find time for ourselves, for our needs and future plans. There always seems to be something or someone else who needs us more than we need ourselves. Another pile of laundry, another email, another few minutes of social media scrolling. It can feel impossible to make the time. We promise it isn’t! Hard but not impossible. If we commit to the possibility of our own future, then we can find the time and space to build the future we want.
“It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity. The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.” — Diane Von Furstenberg
Once you make that commitment, we know that thinking about goal setting can still be overwhelming. So we like to think about it in a couple of ways that are manageable.
First, set some fun goals! Every year on her birthday Rielly sets a list of new things she wants to do and not so coincidentally the number of things matches her age. The list is supposed to be fun and interesting, with no pressure and no judgment. A purely engaging list of goals that bring her joy, or might bring her joy! New things to try or old experiences to revisit. Sometimes she completes the list and sometimes she carries things over into a new year.
Tovah does something similar, by setting fun and achievable goals that she works towards throughout her life. These are meant to expand her horizons and help her live a more well rounded and fulfilled life. Like Rielly, these goals are neither secondary nor distractions. They are endeavors meant to uplift and provide joy. Striving for these kinds of goals help to round out our lives and give us more meaning.
Second, remind yourself that deeper and potentially more long term goals will help you live a more meaningful and unlimited life. How do we find our deeper and more meaningful goals? Well first we go back an episode and work on quieting the noise so we can actually hear our inner voice. Remember your inner goddess?! Time to let her out into the sun. Maybe we do some meditations. (Note we love recommending Insight Timer). Brainstorm. Talk to people. Start small and work up to bigger goals. Regardless of all of these options, the biggest advice is to start.
“I know how it looks. But just start. Nothing is insurmountable.” – Lin-Manuel Miranda
Once you pick a goal, find the tools that work for you to break it down into small enough steps so you can accomplish that goal. Use your kitchen timer so you take 10 minutes a day to brainstorm how to break your goal into small achievable pieces. Set appointments in your calendar to remind you to take on those tasks. Find a goal setting partner, someone to help keep you accountable to yourself without judgment. Make a list of your top 10 distractions and post it where you work to remind you to stay on task.
Most importantly, give yourself grace. You may not complete every goal you set for yourself, and you may even find yourself adjusting your goals as you go along. You may crush some goals while others seem insurmountable. It is important that you allow for the imperfections of life to fill your space with the beauty inherent in those imperfections, rather than getting lost in comparisons and flaws. Perfection is never the goal.
At the Go Boldly Initiative we also find it is so very important to celebrate. Take the wins. Celebrate them whether they are tiny or enormous. Find the joyous celebration in each one. We are so quick to move from task to task throughout the day that sometimes we forget to stop and enjoy our success. Learn to take a moment to savor the win, whether it is sending an email or closing a deal.
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” — Oprah Winfrey
