Goal setting is much more than simply saying you want something to happen. Unless you clearly define exactly what you want and understand why you want it the first place, your odds of success are considerably reduced. By avoiding the goal setting traps you can set goals with confidence and enjoy the satisfaction that comes along with knowing you achieved what you set out to do. So let's take a look at some of the biggest traps that need to be avoided.
1. Your goals don't motivate you. This first trap seems obvious but a lot of people fall into the giver role and set goals to appease others. If you are not motivated by your goal it will be hard and near impossible to achieve. If you have set the goal for yourself but you genuinely don't have interest in the outcome or the goal is extraneous to your larger goals, putting work into it may fall by the wayside. Goals require your attention and commitment; if you feel unmotivated by them it is unlikely you will put the time in necessary to achieve them. Without motivation you will lack focus and without focus the tasks needed to fulfil your goal may keep getting pushed aside for something else. So you must you really ask yourself, does your goal motivate you?
2. Your goals aren't SMART. Are you applying the rules of goal setting correctly? The simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. We already know that goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based.
Your goals aren't specific. Concise is key, so when you set up a list of indistinct goals, you're working against yourself because you will not have a specific course. Always remember: your goals should show you the path to your progress.
Set measurable goals. Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. If your goal is simply defined as "be healthier" how will you know when you have been successful? Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved something.
Set achievable goals. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence. However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.
Your steps are not significant to your progress. When you outline your goals, they should relate directly to the big picture. If you can keep your daily steps parallel to your ultimate career and life goals, your moves will keep your eye on the prize. When you set irrelevant or contradictory goals, your time and energy will be wasted on activities that get you nowhere.
Set time-based goals. You goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.
3. Your goals live only in your head. When you can see your goals laid out in front of you, they have a real, actual presence that brings them into your life. Write them out, and keep them somewhere in which you are forced to see and acknowledge them every day. Rather than using language like, "I'd like to", or "I hope to", create more certainty by beginning sentences with language such as, "I will". This lends legitimacy to your goals, which will soon be apparent in your actions. When you use flimsy language, you give yourself a built-in excuse to procrastinate or take longer than necessary to achieve your goals.
4. You have no real action plan. Many people feel this is unnecessary, yet those who are successful recognize this step as essential to making progress. You may feel you have your sights firmly set on the big picture, but if you have no daily goals set to help you achieve incrementally, you will lose focus and have trouble knowing exactly what needs to be done. When you allow yourself to check off the smaller steps little by little each day, you will find yourself striding toward the finish line with an even, realistic pace.
5. Your goals do not allow for your skill level. Although ensuring your goals are quantifiable is important, language such as "shed 20 lbs" or "win first place" can be discouraging. If you are able to shed five lbs, you've achieved something that many are unable to do - but if you're only celebrating your success when you hit the 20 mark, you lose your ability to see the successes you are making along the way by feeling you've failed yourself. Understand that there may be delays or that larger goals may take some time. If you get third place, have you failed? Or, is this an important step - and possibly and important lesson as well - along the way?
6. You gave up too quickly! Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity not just a means to an end. Build in reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals (even 5 or 10 minutes a week will do!) Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value, and necessity remain high.
1. Your goals don't motivate you. This first trap seems obvious but a lot of people fall into the giver role and set goals to appease others. If you are not motivated by your goal it will be hard and near impossible to achieve. If you have set the goal for yourself but you genuinely don't have interest in the outcome or the goal is extraneous to your larger goals, putting work into it may fall by the wayside. Goals require your attention and commitment; if you feel unmotivated by them it is unlikely you will put the time in necessary to achieve them. Without motivation you will lack focus and without focus the tasks needed to fulfil your goal may keep getting pushed aside for something else. So you must you really ask yourself, does your goal motivate you?
2. Your goals aren't SMART. Are you applying the rules of goal setting correctly? The simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. We already know that goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based.
Your goals aren't specific. Concise is key, so when you set up a list of indistinct goals, you're working against yourself because you will not have a specific course. Always remember: your goals should show you the path to your progress.
Set measurable goals. Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. If your goal is simply defined as "be healthier" how will you know when you have been successful? Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved something.
Set achievable goals. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence. However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.
Your steps are not significant to your progress. When you outline your goals, they should relate directly to the big picture. If you can keep your daily steps parallel to your ultimate career and life goals, your moves will keep your eye on the prize. When you set irrelevant or contradictory goals, your time and energy will be wasted on activities that get you nowhere.
Set time-based goals. You goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.
3. Your goals live only in your head. When you can see your goals laid out in front of you, they have a real, actual presence that brings them into your life. Write them out, and keep them somewhere in which you are forced to see and acknowledge them every day. Rather than using language like, "I'd like to", or "I hope to", create more certainty by beginning sentences with language such as, "I will". This lends legitimacy to your goals, which will soon be apparent in your actions. When you use flimsy language, you give yourself a built-in excuse to procrastinate or take longer than necessary to achieve your goals.
4. You have no real action plan. Many people feel this is unnecessary, yet those who are successful recognize this step as essential to making progress. You may feel you have your sights firmly set on the big picture, but if you have no daily goals set to help you achieve incrementally, you will lose focus and have trouble knowing exactly what needs to be done. When you allow yourself to check off the smaller steps little by little each day, you will find yourself striding toward the finish line with an even, realistic pace.
5. Your goals do not allow for your skill level. Although ensuring your goals are quantifiable is important, language such as "shed 20 lbs" or "win first place" can be discouraging. If you are able to shed five lbs, you've achieved something that many are unable to do - but if you're only celebrating your success when you hit the 20 mark, you lose your ability to see the successes you are making along the way by feeling you've failed yourself. Understand that there may be delays or that larger goals may take some time. If you get third place, have you failed? Or, is this an important step - and possibly and important lesson as well - along the way?
6. You gave up too quickly! Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity not just a means to an end. Build in reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals (even 5 or 10 minutes a week will do!) Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value, and necessity remain high.
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