Happy
2017!
As
is my annual tradition, I will start the new year out with a reminder of my
advice from an article I wrote in The Washington Post a few years back:
“Set Goals, Not Resolutions.” And also
see my full article on The Power of Goals at this link.
If
it’s time for you to set those once-a-year resolutions that you know will fade
by March, then this article is not for you.
But
if you are ready to make a long-term commitment to achieving higher levels of
performance and having more satisfaction in life, then consider getting serious
about goal-setting:
*Set
goals as outcomes – on what you really want, not the activities that may lead
toward them.
*Make
sure that all your goals are SMRT: Specific, Measurable, Relevant, Time-Bound
*Use
the right “A” in your SMART goal formula.
All goals need to be SMRT. But to
be SMART you need to pick the “A” that is right for your situation. Here are
your options:
1. Attainable Goals, which you have an 80+%
chance of accomplishing, are good if failing will have many negative
consequences. Attainable goals are good
to build some momentum with easy wins, or to learn more about new environments,
or if you are concerned about getting discouraged.
2. Aggressive Goals, which you have a 35% chance
of accomplishing, will improve your performance. Research shows that the more difficult the
goal, the higher the level of performance.*
If you feel like you have a good system and you want to maximize
performance of it, then this method will help you do it.
3. Almost Impossible Stretch Goals, which you
have a 1% chance of accomplishing, will require you to design innovative ways
of going about accomplishing your goal.
“Working harder” on the same process won’t do it. You have an opportunity for breakthrough
performance with Almost Impossible Stretch Goals.
*Celebrate
Noble Failure. If you are inspired to
pursue a goal and you go for it, but you don’t make it all the way, then
appreciate the progress you have made and appreciate that you worked hard at
something you really cared about. This
mind-set will bring you more long-term success than letting the fear of failure
keep you from doing what truly inspires you.
I
provide more extensive detail on goal setting in this article, The Power of Goals. If you use these principles and
apply them to your personal and work life then I promise you much higher levels
of performance, fulfillment, and satisfaction.
But it only works if you take it on as a true, committed discipline –
not a once a year fad. Good luck with
all of your goals!
*A
Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance, by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham
For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your
organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at
www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com You
will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy
Workbook that you can download at no cost.
You can also check out my book, Mission Impact: Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and
buy it if you are interested. And you
can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.
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