Start Here: What is Your Goal?
In creating anything, from an artful conversation to a work of art, there are several key rules. The first, inspired by Steven Covey…begin with the end in mind.
This is the second habit of the seven he describes. This chapter encourages the reader to go deep and imagine what a life well lived looks like to you. It speaks to knowing yourself and defining your goals, and it is applicable EVERYWHERE:
- Teen kid with bad grades…
- Career Change…
- Difficult conversation with colleague…
- Dinner party with new recipes…
- Big project at work…
- A well-spent weekend…
- Getting through a family reunion…
- A fulfilling life…
We go through life with this sense of haste and often feel we don’t have the time or presence of mind to sort out the goals and results we want in our lives.
We are so rich in the number of choices presented to us, everywhere, every day. This being true, it is important to cultivate our awareness of what we value and define the things we deem truly important. If we don’t, we can move from one thing to another and at the end of the day or week or year, we find ourselves with a sense of unease, knowing that we missed out on some important moments or opportunities. Or maybe we find ourselves on the wrong track, never having created the map that can help us correct our course.
Back in 2012, I went through a personal reckoning of my life. There was no stone left unturned in the examination of what I wanted the second half of my life to look like. It was a lot of difficult work and it has taken years to get clarity. It also remains an ongoing process. Making lasting change often requires an untenable level of pain to move us to action – this will give you a sense of the discomfort I was in. I had long and quietly been on a quest to understand my true self and find my “place” professionally, and in the other significant areas of life: family, finances, self, physical health.
Covey’s 7 Habits book remains foundational to how I approach life, and the important things I want out of it…for however long I get to live on this beautiful earth. It continues to shape my life and decision making process in both the personal and professional spheres.
So, deeply in the weeds, hacking through the jungle of possibility, I approached my career research with this tenet in mind. I applied what I call the rocking chair test: In old age, when you are sitting on your porch in your rocking chair…what do you want to look back on and be proud of, to have achieved? Here’s what I came up with: I wanted:
- To be available for my family…for school plays, doctor’s appointments, and in general. This meant that until our son was properly launched in the world, heavy travel or a position requiring long days would have to wait.
- A professional life that suited my strengths and experience and would also continue to keep me interested and challenged. I wanted this career to evolve and allow me work until retirement (if that ever became possible).
- This career also had to provide a good living now…with potential for financial and personal growth, and with the option of consulting or teaching in the field. I wanted options.
- To build upon the experience already gained. I did not want to start from scratch (again).
- To choose health in all areas of life.
Now, this is important: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Small steps. This was a good start and gave me a jumping off place to focus my research and thinking. This was a big project, but the same thinking can apply to shorter, lighter ideas – the point is to pay attention to your intention, then make the decision to commit. Once you have defined the goal (and result) you can apply the SMART Goal setting framework to the goal.
So, at whatever age, phase or season of life you find yourself in, please don’t forget that building and creating things takes time, and despite our culture of more, faster, now; you are allowed to play, experiment, consider, and take the time you need to determine your goals, results, and next steps. Once you do, commit and move forward. And above all…have fun!
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What are you wanting to create? Is there something on your mind that won’t leave you alone? What one thing can you do today or this week to explore or take action?
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Next Sunday: Generating Ideas. Also…Check back on Wednesdays for The Workbench’s Mid-Week Kick…some ideas and tools to keep the creative juices and joy flowing!
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Resources
Some Goal Setting Questions to Ask:
What results or outcome are you looking for?
How do you want to feel at the end?
How do you want to move through the process?
Where does this highway lead to?
SMART Goal Framework: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Steven R. Covey.