Posts tagged creative mood

Set and Reach Goal

It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.
Helen Keller

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.
Eleanor Roosevelt

You are never too old to set another goal

I set goals for myself every morning with my friend over Skype.  We talk about the space we are in, clear the air, and set goals for what we want to accomplish for the day and the kind of people we want to be while we accomplish it.  For example, I might set a goal to write for two hours on my novel, and I create a context of doing that in a playful and creative mood.  But setting the goals is only one side of the coin.  The followthrough is just as crucial as the goal setting. Why do I set goals?  I set goals because it gives me direction.  More than that it creates the idea of the future I can then live into.  It’s a powerful thing.  The President of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, told this anecdote:

Several days ago, while driving to my home, I approached the entrance to Interstate 15. At the on-ramp I noticed three hitchhikers, each one of whom carried a homemade sign which announced his desired destination. One sign read “Los Angeles,” while a second carried the designation “Boise.” However, it was the third sign which not only caught my attention but caused me to reflect and ponder its message. The hitchhiker had lettered not Los Angeles, California, nor Boise, Idaho, on the cardboard sign which he held aloft. Rather, his sign consisted of but one word and read simply “ANYWHERE.” Here was one who was content to travel in any direction, according to the whim of the driver who stopped to give him a free ride. What an enormous price to pay for such a ride. No plan. No objective. No goal. The road to anywhere is the road to nowhere, and the road to nowhere leads to dreams sacrificed, opportunities squandered, and a life unfulfilled.
Thomas S. Monson, Which Road Will You Travel?

SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) Goal Setting

But how do I turn goals from dreams into reality?  I find that it’s all about accountability.  And accountability starts with a good plan.  I was recently introduced to the SMART Goal Method of goal setting.  SMART stands for:

• Specific: What will I accomplish?
• Measurable: How will I and others know I’ve reached my goal?
• Attainable: Do I have the commitment and resources to realistically achieve this goal?
• Relevant:  Why is this goal important to me?
• Time-Bound: When do I expect to complete this goal?

I’ve also found it really helps to think of the most powerfully positive outcome I can have around this goal.  So I ask myself the following questions:

• If I were to have a breakthrough miracle in this area, what would my life look like?
• What are the benefits of achieving this goal?

It is great to make goals, but it’s vitally important to put a plan for that goal into action.  So I make a list of tasks or to-dos that will help me achieve the goal with target completion dates.

A Goal Without A Plan I Just A Wish

It’s important to have a contingency plan for possible challenges I might encounter while achieving my goal, so I make a list of possible obstacles and ways to overcome them.

Finally, I find it infinitely helpful to have someone who helps me stay accountable in my goal making.  That is why my morning goal making has been so life changing.  Out of that I’ve completed multiple drafts of both my novels, increased my productivity at work, and found more time left over to do the other things I love to do.  I also haven’t forgotten to be grateful for how precious this life is and enjoy the journey.

In order to facilitate my goal making, I’ve made a custom worksheet in PDF format.  If you download the worksheet you’ll be able to fill it out on the computer (you’ll even be able to check the to-do items off your list), save and print it.  It’s free to download.  I only ask that you don’t sell it.  Also please don’t republish it without attribution (a link back to this article).  Finally, please let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions on how to improve upon it!  Enjoy!

Download SMART-Goal-Miracle-Worksheet-Final.pdf (PDF, 128KB)