Insecurity and uncertainty are significant sources of organizational stress.
They are also significant sources of life stress. You don’t have to work at a 9-5 to feel insecure and uncertain. In fact, if you don’t have a regular job you might feel even more insecure and uncertain than the guy who has an office job.
Setting goals is an important part of daily satisfaction.
Even if you aren’t the CEO, even if you don’t work in an actual office, and even if the only people you think are counting on you are the kind that can barely count to ten, setting goals and achieving them make us feel successful and strong in our chosen line of work.
SETTING GOALS IS NOT:
Setting goals is NOT a to-do list (although you will most assuredly have some to-dos to get done).
Setting goals is NOT about productivity (although you will be more productive).
Setting goals is NOT a competition (unless you’re the type of person that likes to be competitive with yourself).
I haven’t worked in a “real” office in nearly twenty years, but every month I meet with an accountability partner to ensure I’m setting and meeting my goals.
We used to tick off our wins, challenges, take-aways, and goals, but last month we broke out a new template that addresses the things we care about in a more wholistic way. You can download the worksheet we use here or simply start out by writing down your plan for each of the growth areas listed below:
Career
Self Growth
Social
Physical
One Word Focus:
Quote of the Week:
Knowing I have a scheduled meeting every single month at the same time means I have to allot time for each of the activities I’ve said are important. I don’t want to meet with Jen and have to tell her I didn’t do anything on my list. When I meet my goals, she is inspired, and when she meets hers, I’m equally stoked. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be writing these blog posts every week, I wouldn’t have been so consistent with Mission Driven Monday, and I don’t think I would have had the foresight or drive to dream up any of the 52 week series I’ve been working on. (You can download the DREAM BIG series here.)
Jen asks me hard questions, forces me to write down exactly what I want to achieve, and encourages me to nail down the steps I need to take to get there. Even when it looks like I’m not doing anything, all I have to do is look back at that piece of paper where I wrote down my goals for the month and see that yes, I actually do have a plan for my life.
Want to be more productive?
More accountable?
Overcome your procrastination?
And achieve more?
Start with the one-week goal setting worksheet and find a partner that’s not afraid to ask, “Hey, did you do it?” And if you’re really, really lucky, you’ll find not just one partner but a whole network of people who are brave enough to ask the most important question of all:
How can I help?
If you’re ready to take it to the next level, I’ve got a treat for you!