This month I learned some goal setting lessons…the hard way!
I’ve been working with setting goals and blogging about it for a couple of months now. And I made some mistakes. Preventable mistakes? Maybe, but honest mistakes anyway.
It feels kind of stupid. I blog about goal setting and related topics and investigate my subject, learning new things on a week by week basis. And although I have learned a lot about the theory, putting it to practice gives you entirely new insights or even a plain understanding of things I have blogged about already. In this series I’m discussing the mistakes I made, including live examples of my current goals. And where needed I’m correcting or adjusting them.
Mistake 1: Too many goals
I worked my way through discovering my core values. Translated them into a mission statement, and ended up defining goals based on that mission statement. I used a method of five different states in life, and set goals for all of them. But I didn’t keep it at a single goal, I set multiple goals for every different state.
In the end I ended up with 12 goals! And I was being ambitious with these goals too! Now there’s nothing wrong with ambitious (or even ridiculous) goals, as long as you don’t have too many of them at the same time! A total of 12 goals will divide your attention to the point that it’s hard to focus. And focus is important when setting goals and when working on them to achieve success.
Example: Two ridiculous goals at the same time
The goals:
Two of my goals were very ambitious when I stated them. They are:
- By December 2007 the renovation of the 2nd floor of our house is finished and the office is ready for use
- By December 2007 I have over 2500 RSS subscribers on my blog
The problem:
There was a lot (and I mean a LOT) of work to do on the renovation, and getting that goal done would have taken most of my spare time. Or, when outsourcing it, a lot of my money and I wasn’t prepared to pay up. The other goal was crazy as well. I set it mid September, and at the time I was at 200-something subscribers.
Are these goals doable? Yes they are, but not at the same time! Crazy goals are OK, but too many simultaneous and they WILL drive you crazy!
The solution:
Although I hate it as a solution, one of the goals is scheduled out. Realistically, the renovation will not be ready by the end of the year. I did a lot of work, but there’s simply too much work to be done. I also need to outsource some of it and that has not been arranged yet. So the deadline for this is scheduled out by two months to February 29, 2008.
I’ll keep the 2500 subscribers as a goal. Yeah it’s crazy! And I can use all the help I can get, so if you have any suggestions to achieve this, leave it in the comments or send me an email at lodewijkvdb (at) gmail (dot) com.
Goal Setting Rules
So what are the lessons here?
- Too many goals will divert your attention, while you need focus to be successful.
- A ridiculous goal is OK, but don’t have several simultaneously.
Rocket science? Hardly, yet I fell into these pitfalls anyway.
Tomorrow: Mistake 2: Colliding Deadlines
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I disagree … I think lots of goals and projects, organized effectively, actually drives you to greater success in all areas.
Being busy with lots of insignificant little projects is a problem. Being busy with lots of projects that aren’t moving you forward in some manner is a problem. But having lots of projects and goals that are fulfilling and that you’re passionate about — well, worst case is you achieve only some of them. But what if you plan for less and could have achieved more?
I’d rather reach 20 of 101 goals than 2 of 2 goals any day
I think that varies on a person by person basis, Marina. I know a lot of people who would see reaching 20 out of 101 as failing 81 and they feel like a failure because of it.
Having 2 audacious goals (that really push you out of your comfort zone) is far better in my opinion than having 101 goals within, with a handful just outside.
Planning for less is also not really a problem in my opinion, especially when people that start with goal setting need to build up confidence that they can make it work. Better 2 of 2 achieved as a confidence booster, than 3 of 5 achieved with demotivating consequences.
I agree with you, Lodewijkvdb. I’m a strong proponent that less is good and the goals I’m referring are big audacious goals such as getting $XX amount of dollars earned within a X months and not small subtasks, like work at the gym. You can have as many subtasks as you want to accomplish your bottomline goal but not the other way. That’s precisely one of the reasons why many people find goal setting a dread or chore. You need to enjoy the process. Not the other way round.
I liked the honesty in this article, Lodewijkvdb. Well done!
Cheers,
Ellesse
Seems like I have landed onto a useful blog.
Lodewijkvdb: I am looking forward to your rest of the post in this topic.
Ellesse: I agree with the point you have made. Your comment is adding value to the post.
Hey mate, I agree with you completely, but it could be just me. Having one goal to work towards, one passion, was the key (for me, at least) to getting it reached.
Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.
Hey guys,
I feel that if a person has to many goals they are probably getting something mixed up. For me I can set all the goals I want to, but I MUST “schedule” them. My best advice is to set short, middle, and long term goals. This definitely seems to help.
Checkout my blog if you want more talk on goal setting:
http://reachingyourgoal.blogspot.com/
For me one step at a time is enough. Slowly but surely.
I have been there also. I set goals that are way out of reach but i realize that if you take the time to prepare and understand your goals, they are much easier to accomplish even if it takes you longer than you had expected.
Gaje Masters last blog post..One Year Goal – August
Very true Gaje Master. Preparation is an important factor in achieving success. But I still stand by my observation here, maybe even more so.
I’ve come to realize more and more that having only one active goal is my optimum. One active goal allows for true focus. On a longer term though I definitely have more goals.
Maybe I should give them another name, ambitions or something. I’m going to think that through some more.
Lodewijk – interesting.
I actually have been doing just that without realising – referring to my “inactive goals” as “dreams”. I wanted them but I figured that they only turn into actual goals when I actually started making steps to achieving it.
Thanks for this post. I think I needed this. Time to trim my goal list down!
Wow, I found a new blog home! I have this very challenge. I have so many skills and talents and about 8 major life goals right now, buy a house, finish a thesis, learn a new job, start a non-profit and part-time consult.
I busy myself so much, I rarely am at ease and I always have fidgety restless tension cause my energy could be used toward one of those many goals. I sat down and realized I had a whole life ahead of me. I don’t have to do it all before 35.
I agree less mis more, the simple way is the truth. Greats like Einstein, Frederick Douglass and Jordan focused on one thing and later explored their other dreams. Had they done them simultaneously, they wouldn’t have been greats at what we know them for today.
Great Blog, add me to your subscribers.
For me one step at a time is enough. Slowly but surely.
Hi Everyone,
One goal or many goals that is the question. Everyone is right and everyone is wrong. Part of being being an original is taking the concept of setting goal(s) and reshaping it to what works for you. Not in doing something that works for other people. It may partly look like the same process but you must reshape it to suit yourself.
Cheers,
Ray
I’ve tried setting about 6 different goals but I was able to achieve just one. Although it is my desire to accomplish several goals, I found myself overwhelmed and distracted. I feel that having just one goal and putting all my energies into it will work for me. Even then, I have a few things I feel that i MUST accomplish in the near future and can’t really decide what to do….
So what you guys are saying is that you don’t have a definite answer for me on if i have too many goals. i basically have to get off my lazy ass and figure it out for myself??? dammit!!
I have been having trouble with keeping my focus on my goals, as well. I have tried to manage and schedule several goals, but I am a creative type and I find that I do better if I focus on only a couple of goals at a time and keep a list of “someday” goals for later. But some people like to manage many goals. The point is to do whatever allows you to focus. Focus is the key.
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