Business as Usual or Breakthrough?
With all the uncertainty and restlessness of the last two years, I’ve heard a lot of questions about whether it even makes sense to set goals for 2022.
I get it.
Remember all the “2020 Vision” goals we set a couple of years ago? How did those pan out?
Even 2021’s goals had to be revised or asterisked as the environment around us constantly shifted.
One thing we’ve learned in these last two years is conventional approaches we used to follow may not hold up as well today. I feel the same way about goal setting.
The traditional method of cascading goals top-down through layers of an organization just doesn’t do enough to build the energy, engagement, resilience, and creativity necessary for profound change.
At best it’s a tactic for treading water and surviving, not thriving. That’s fine if you want “business as usual,” but it won’t get you to “breakthrough.”
To get to “breakthrough,” there must be a personal connection between what motivates you and the goal you’re setting out to achieve.
You can get there in three steps:
1 – Get to your “why.” I know an executive who refers to this as your “noble purpose.” It’s the fire in your belly that drives you to do what you do. It’s your core motivation stripped down to its most basic essence. Take time to reflect on your “why” and write it down in no more than 15 words.
If it’s longer than that, it’s too complex.
(BTW, here’s my “why” I’m a coach – I want to be for others the kind of career resource I would want myself.)
2 – Write your vision statement. Imagine that it’s one year from now and you have accomplished all that you had set out to do. What are you doing professionally and personally? How do you feel? What experiences are you getting from life?
Now, write it in the present tense as if it has already occurred, using statements like “I am…” instead of “I will…”. Take 10 or 15 minutes to write your vision. Let your creativity and intuition flow.
3 – Frame your goals in terms of your “why” and vision. Find that connecting thread between your deepest motivations and what you’re setting out to achieve. When goals align to the most vital parts of what you do and whom you want to be, you’ll be inspired to take on challenges and develop solutions with more engagement, creativity, and confidence.
Finally, share your goals. There are multiple benefits to doing this. Speaking about your big goals shifts you from “willing to dream” to the “courage to dare and do.” It also helps you enlist allies to bring these dreams to reality.