Knowing what are the best goals to set is a personal choice but there are some common steps we should all take to set goals that have many important elements to consider. When people find out what I do they often ask what are they should set for themselves. It is a question that has no definitive answer but has many important components to consider
Task
An everyday action to make your day more bearable or to maintain a basic level of function
- The task is a low level action that contributes to the overall goal
- It might be making a healthy lunch, going to the gym, or doing the washing up
Values
Goals have to align to your values for them to take root in your consciousness as something you want to achieve
Goal
An ambition that you will work to make a reality
- A goal is normally something that will take time and commitment to achieve but if something that you have an emotional attachment to achieving, the achievement of it will improve your life in a significant way and you can visualize what that will be
Emotional Connection
The best goals to set will provide you with an emotional connection
- You have to feel like the goal you are going to pursue is intrinsic to your own values
- Keeping with the fitness example, let’s say you wanted to be able to run 10km because all your friends are doing it.
- Once things get tough, and you are training on your own will you keep it up?
Dream
Dreams are goals that will never be achieved
Strengths
Goals should focus on your strengths
- It is much easier to use an existing strength to help you achieve a goal than to have the goal to develop a new strength to then use that to reach another goal
- The best goals to set are those that already use your strengths
OK, So What Are The Best Goals To Set Then?
There is no one size fits all answer.
- The best goals to set are those that mean something to you, that you have a real desire to achieve, and have the commitment to drive you on when times get tough.
How Should I Set Goals?
Best goals to set are those that you have a connection to
- The connection will provide an emotional attachment to the achievement of that goal which will provide motivation to keep going even when achieving it feels difficult
- Setting goals is a personal thing and requires connection to the goal to keep motivated
Passion
You must have a goal you are passionate about or you will give up as soon as things get hard
- More than 90% of people give up going to the gym after three months
- They went because they felt they should, not because they were passionate about physical fitness
