‘The greatest danger for most of us is not hat our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.’ ~ Michelangelo.
Here we are in the first full week of 2019, ready, willing and able to go get those goals that we set for us, or in some cases, goals that someone gave to us, however are those goals our real goals?
If we take a closer look at the quote by Michelangelo, are we kidding ourselves by making an unrealistic goal? Not in the fact that it may be too high, but rather is it one that does not stretch us?
Goal setting is a very important process which should not be taken lightly. Most of us follow the SMART goal setting process, however, in majority of cases it is really not taken very seriously. We rush it as something that we do at the end of the year and we want the upcoming year to be different than the previous year.
Majority of people when I ask: “Which part; the Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reasonable, Time frame, is the most important?” I normally get: “Specific and time frame.” These are, of course, very important. However, when we start talking and setting the goals it becomes quite apparent that it is the Attainable and Realistic which takes a larger importance.
If a goal can be achieved without a little sweat and work, it may be one of those dangerous one where it is too low and we reach it. If it so high which creates way too much stress and is based on extreme luck, it may be a goal which is only wishful thinking and unrealistic.
However, if the goal is Attainable with some work and sweat as well as some ‘outside of the box’ thinking and doing along with getting out of your comfort zone, then you have a Realistic goal.
As previously mentioned; ‘we are in the first full week of 2019,’ is your goal really following the SMART goal setting process? Is it too easy to attain? Is it too hard and therefore unrealistic? Is it a little challenging and make me stretch my current skills and thinking?
This week would be a perfect time to take a second sober look at the goal and ask yourself those questions and to be brutally honest with yourself. In the majority of cases I have found that people do not ask those hard questions when originally setting the goal.
During the last session of The Action Suite, go to Joedasilva.ca for more information how you can get involved with this business development program, we set 2019 goals for everyone by asking those very questions.
All the goals which members came in with were changed. Some were increased, some were decreased. However, they were changed when we really delved into the goals and asked the tough questions and had serious conversations about the goal. If you have not set them yet, this is the perfect time to do so as the year has only started. However, take your time and take the process very seriously.
The most important question you have to ask yourself is: “Where am I aiming?”