At work, we have certain goals that are often evaluated on an annual basis to evaluate how successful we have been. These goals then determine if how much of a bonus we get
(P.S in Canada we gets taxed 50% 😢)
But, have you ever wondered why we don’t do the same for ourselves at a personal level?
In my early 20s, I knew I had goals but I didn’t give a fuck about the process on how I would reach them. Every time I thought about it, I would just distract myself and focus on something else.
Who really thinks about the process?
Quite frankly, I didn’t have an answer back then because I believe I was not motivated enough and in my comfort zone.
I mean after a long day of work, all I wanted to do was chill.
Most of us prefer immediate solutions. Even cognitive psychologists find that people tend to favor now in decisions and goals. We are wired to attend to the present and what brings success now. However, this is bad for farsighted goals, which are not given the same priority in our minds. In this way, our future focus becomes a luxury, as we are waiting for current needs to be taken care of first.
I guess we don’t value the baby steps and get discouraged by the long-term goals.
It’s time to switch from living passively to becoming an active creator of your life.
Take control Most of us are sleepwalking through life. We work hard but don’t feel like we are getting what we want. That’s because we don’t have a direction of where we want to go or have a clear idea of what we want to achieve.
Motivate yourself We need to break out of auto-pilot and start living a life of adventure. Instead of letting others tell you what to do, we should proactively take charge and think about what we want for ourselves.
Create accountability It is time for us to be accountable for our actions - no one knows the goals we set. By setting specific targets, you can easily see if you are on track, and if not, what to do about them.
Know your potential and live your best life We can do anything we want - there are millions, billions of things we can do, experience, and encounter. There are endless possibilities of what you can accomplish. Never doubt what you’re capable of. There will always be a struggle but we need to believe in ourselves.
It’s scary but we have to be open-minded and take a little risk to strive for success
I mean what do we have to lose?
Here is a simple 5 steps guide on how to set and evaluate our goals
Write down the first 20 goals that come to your mind
Once you’re done, circle the top 5-8 goals and see which ones fit your annual or five-year goals. I usually divide them into two categories professional & personal
Write them down separately and rank them according to your priority
That’s your main focus - everything else is somewhat of a distraction
Evaluate your progress every 3-6 months to see if anything needs to change to re-evaluated.
Be mindful reaching goals takes time and remember to not give up early
Bonus: Once you’re done with those 5 goals, repeat the process and start all over again.
Double Bonus: How to write a goal the S.M.A.R.T way
Set your goals, make them happen, and watch as you create your best life ever.