6 tips on goal setting to get ahead in life!
When you are in self-doubt, reflect on your past performances and shed you fear. “…I stand here without fear because I remember. I remember that I am here not because of the path that lies before me but because of the
path that lies behind me.”
“Out of sight is out of mind”… Seeing a goal prepares our mind to hit it and we set course to achieve that goal. Brain science studies have shown, SMART goals are not enough. Here is what you should focus on:
1) Get specific
Our brain loves concreteness. Just saying “I want to lose weight” is not concrete.
“I want to lose 5 kg weight” is better yet being specific doesn’t mean to have goal like [Goal: To lose 5 kg weight.]
Instead:: Visualize the SUCCESS of the OUTCOME of your goal. How will you know success has happened? Describe that moment with vivid details.
I’ll know that I’ve lost 5 kgs WHEN I can fit into my size 30 jeans. [Goal: To fit into my size-30 jeans]
2) Do some mental contrasting
Think of two positives about achieving your goal and also think about two obstacles that might hinder your success.
Write about what it’ll be like to ‘experience’ it. On the whole how do you FEEL… Energised or doubtful?
3) Grab the moments to ACT on your GOALS
Our brain loves to remember Concrete visual items… especially on an MAP. (evolutionary reasons). So to set course for your goals, identify critical actions and add WHEN & WHERE. To make your action plan concerete make them like [if-then] plans.
“…if it’s 7 am in the mornings @ Monday, I’ll go for a run” Also think of any ‘temptation’/ ‘obstacle’ that might derail you… Add [WHEN & WHERE] it comes and HOW will you handle it? What will you DO instead… a meaningful distraction sort of thing! Make an [if-then] plan for this too.
“…if an email makes me angry, will wait for 1 hour before responding”
4) Monitor your progress — know exactly how far you’ve left to go “Focus of small numbers”
At the start, focus on the small progress that you may have made in the small run. The problem arises when after some time we start feeling satisfied by reflecting on our good progress… so while at the near end of completion… Focus on — to know how far you’ve left to go… ie. FOCUS on small numbers.
It’s best if can be told by others, if not then set it to be know by yourself. Remembers if you can’t know then you can’t adjust or do course correction hence the progress check should be done predefined regular time.
Create reminders! If possible in an [if-then] way!
5) Be a realistic-optimist
When you are in self-doubt, reflect on your past performances and shed your fear. “…I stand here without fear because I remember. I remember that I am here not because of the path that lies before me but because of the
path that lies behind me.”
-The Matrix Reloaded
And hey, it pays a lot to understand the way world works… rather than just be focussed on how it SHOULD work.
I love my iPhone, once it fell down and broke its glass… I hated gravity for it. But guess what, “gravity doesn’t care” so I’ll better if I rather plan for GRAVITY.
So it’ll be better if you anticipate that “you might fail”. In this way, you are not underestimating the difficulties, because, when you’ve set course for success, thinking positives comes easy.
A healthy dose of “how things may go wrong?” and visualization of “how you’ll deal with it?” will take you places as it’ll give you the Plan-B. Even a wrong plan is better than a NO plan! Go get your Plan-B!
6) Focus on getting better — rather than being good
As long as you are focused on improving… failing is OK. So improve (growth mindset) rather than prove (fixed mindset).
Growth mindset people who focus on improvement: Believe that they ‘Can get the ability of desired skill by EFFORT’.
So you must get better at growth-mindset:
• You focus on learning, improving and EFFORT.
• Compare yourself/ your current performance with your PAST performance: if improving then you’re getting better, if not as desired then seek expertise of people around you.
• Reciprocate to people who help you.
May you put your best of your efforts. Happy learning… happy improving!
(Shekhar Chandra is an IIT-Delhi alumnus.He has over a decade of entrepreneurial experience and leadership Excellence. He is also a member of Big Wire editorial team. Reach him at YouLEAD)
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