March Topic - Goal setting exercises
I know that I have lots of ideas that I just don't follow through with. One of the better things that I have done was hire a life coach for me and my wife, so that I could make my first modern board game and my wife could finish her Ph.D.
What do you do to establish long-term goals, and then work towards them being a success? Does anyone find success in some of the online tools for this (Google tasks, mygoals.com, RememberTheMilk.com, etc)? Or does just paper and pencil and daily todo lists work best for you?
Let us know your thoughts about setting and keeping goals!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sivasailam Thiagarajan on
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I am somewhat tired about SMART goals because I am not smart enough to differentiate between "specific" and "measurable". Also I have problems recalling what the "R" stands for.
After reading up a lot of stuff by Locke and Latham and positive psychologists and Matt's professors, I came up with the acronym "STUPID" to specify and review my goal statements. The acronym stands for Specific, Time-Bound, Undeviating (yes, lame), Positive, Intrinsic , and Daring.
Here are some thoughts:
Specific: Make sure that the goal identifies tangible and measurable outcomes.
Examples: Revise Peace on Earth to
Find the address of the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations and send a note of thanks to a specific officer.
Revise Increase my level of happiness to
Increase my positivity ratio as measured by Barbara Fredrickson’s validated online instrument by 2 points.
Time-bound: Add a suitable deadline date or time limit.
Examples: Revise Write a book
Submit my manuscript to the editor on or before May 17, 2011.
Revise Make more profits
Increase monthly profits this year to be 10 percent compared to the same month last year.
Undeviating: Make sure that your goal statement is aligned with your basic values and higher-order goals. If there is a deviation between your goal and values, delete the goal or drastically rewrite it.
Check to see that Make more profits is related to some higher goal (such as Make contributions to the world food program)
Positive: Replace negative and avoidance terminology with positive and approach terminology.
Examples: Revise Avoid arguments with my significant other
Increase the number of healthy discussions with my significant other.
Revise Avoid eating junk food
Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Intrinsic: Make sure that the goal is something that you would want to do even if nobody is nagging you or rewarding you.
Check to ensure that you avoid eating junk food because you want to and not because your mother makes you do it. If the goal is not intrinsic, delete it or drastically revise it.
Daring: Avoid easily attainable goals. Challenge yourself by setting the goal above your current level of competency and ability.
Example: Revise Save $5 every month
Save $500 every month (unless you are a millionaire in which case revise the goal to Save $500,000 every month.)
Caution: As you revise your goal to conform to each criterion, you may violate some other criterion. So take a final look at the goal before you copy it here:
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Read Getting Things Done by David Allen.
Better yet, download the software OmniFocus which enables you to handle your goals and objectives in a very intelligent and practical fashion. The software is well worth switching to a Mac.
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Permalink Reply by Greg Koeser on
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I will say that the Firefly newsletter (done by our own Brian Remer - with heavy contributions this month by Fran Kick) seems to be very on topic - talking about motivation and drive. Check it out at http://www.thefirefly.org/Firefly/html/News%20Flash/2010/March%2020... and sign up to receive these newsletters monthly.
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I am also a regular reader of Firefly newsletter. I strongly recommend it.
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Permalink Reply by Jimbo on -
I have recently been re-introduced to GTD through some software that I bought my for my iPhone...
Pocket Informant has a GTD format built in, as well as a much more useful week and monthly view. I bought it on sale during Black Thursday, and am just getting to it now...
Will look at Omnifocus as I've already done the expensive part of switching to a Mac...
Jimbo
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I was asked about my experience with a life coach, so I'll respond in here. When we first started with a life coach 5 years ago, my wife and I had very clear goals -- Complete a PhD dissertation for my wife and create the game that was going through my mind and get it into people's houses as least as a prototype. We were both discouraged and felt at a slow crawl in progressing these, and the switch to a life coach and some outside accountability helped us to re-energize us and complete both tasks in around 9 months to a year.
Then we kept the life coach for months afterwards with very diminished returns. We made new goals, but couldn't keep the wave going and it became a chore and not a help. We stopped for 3 years. We just re-started with new goals that we are excited about again and we have high hopes for this time, knowing that we have some concrete goals that we want to accomplish this year.
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Permalink Reply by Leslie Brunker on -
Hey Thiagi,
I understand you will be in Portland in October. Let's get together while you're in town. I miss you!
Leslie
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