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It’s a new year. And a typical time to set goals. But how do we do it effectively?
Are goals just a to-do list, or are they a list of things we hope will happen? How realistic should my goals be? How do I organize them?
These are the type of questions we’ll dive into for this goal-setting guide.
What Are Goals
Goals help us focus and organize our actions and decisions and define our expectations and hopes. You can express goals on various time horizons, from “What do I want to get done today?” to “Where do I want to be in 10 years?”
On the shorter end goal look more like a to-do list. And this can be helpful if you just want to organize the day.
Because life can be hectic, identifying 1-3 things that need to happen today can at least prioritize the chaos. In the short run, this strategy can help avoid aimless busyness that comes from the tyranny of the urgent.
But how do we know what should be the goal for today? Ideally, this should flow from a larger, longer-term goal.
Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years. – BILL GATES
If taking a long-term approach is the most effective, how do we play the long game? Let’s begin by taking a step back and recognizing goals for what they are.
Goals define something we want to see accomplished. It's what we hope will be true in the future. This future hope perspective can be helpful, but it can also easily drift into becoming overly self-focused and achievement-oriented.
Goals help us focus and organize our actions and decisions
To set goals effectively, first set your priorities. Priorities anchor your goals to what truly matters. If you haven’t set priorities, pause and take my 5-day journey to living by your priorities. It will help you bring alignment between all your days and your everyday.
Now that you have your priorities in place, goals are scaling those down to be more actionable. There are many ways to do this, and I’d like to share my goal journey from the to-do list to OKRs.
My Goal Journey
I thrive on focus and clarity, which leads me to enjoy goal-setting. I also love learning, so I’ve tried several methods over the years. Today I want to share my journey in hopes that it will be helpful for you on your own goals journey.
Here are a few goal-setting techniques I’ve used.
- To-do lists
- Smart Goals
- Strategic planning process
- Vision Framing
- 4 Disciplines of execution
- Creating Clarity
- OKRs Objectives and key results
These are ordered by how I experienced them. As I practiced each, I grew and learned more about what I needed in goal setting, both personally and as a team leader.
Goals define something we want to see accomplished.
I currently use objectives and key results at work and in my personal life. But I still incorporate many of the principles of the other goal-setting strategies. You may find one of the strategies more helpful for where you are in your journey and the decisions you’re trying to make.
Let’s dive in.
To-do lists for goals
To-do lists are the most straightforward approach to follow, and they are great for organizing daily goals or a specific group of tasks.
The benefit of a to-do list lies in the clarity that comes from breaking down a goal into something you can do today, tomorrow, or next week.
To-do lists help us track and celebrate what we’ve accomplished. There is something just so gratifying about crossing something off the to-do list. This is why many people 🙋🏼♂️will write down something they just completed but wasn't on the list, just for the joy of crossing it off.
Wondering how to make an effective to-do list? I present you with the to-do list for making to-do lists.
- Place all the work on the list.
- Start each item with an action word (like I did in this list).
- Order the list by priority.
- Provide more clarity to the actionable items at the top.
It's really that simple. But don't be fooled by the simplicity. There is still enormous power that comes from clarifying what needs to be done, ordering it by priority and focusing on one at a time.
Identifying 1-3 things that need to happen today can at least prioritize the chaos.
This practice of writing down and prioritizing your to-do list isn’t that different from how a Scrum team prioritizes their product and sprint backlogs.
The simple power of the to-do list is why I created my MinmalList method. It provides a little more structure and constraint to leverage clarity, priority and focus better. You can make your one MinimalList note or order a pad online.
When it comes to to-do lists, you can take a low-fi paper approach, or there are plenty of apps if you want to go the digital route. Five apps that I recommend:
I started with to-do lists and still use them as a quick and easy way to organize my goals.
If you want to upgrade your to-do list skills, two great books are To Do, Doing, Done and Getting Things Done.
However, to-do lists are also limited in that you may end up writing down a lot of tasks without making sure they all contribute towards the larger goal. That is where the SMART goal system comes in.
Related Guides
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SMART Goals.
The SMART Goals system is a time-tested method to help make goals more actionable. The acronym stands for
- S – Specific
- M– Measurable
- A– Attainable
- R– Relevant
- T– Time-bound
Using the SMART method, you can structure your goal and break it down into actionable steps more likely to lead to results.
To understand how to use the SMART goal system, let's look at an example of a goal.
Let’s say your goal is “I want to be in better shape.” This goal is too vague and not very actionable. How do you know if you moved toward being in better shape on a Tuesday?
There is enormous power that comes from clarifying what needs to be done, ordering it by priority and focusing on one at a time.
If we use the SMART system, it might become: “I want to train for a 10K race by running at least 15 miles per week and completing 5 yoga sessions each month over the next 6 months."
Now this goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. You’ll know if you’re doing the work, and you can see how it leads to your desired outcome. That’s the power of SMART goals.
If you like simple frameworks like SMART goals, I encourage you also to check out user stories and acceptance criteria. They are both simple structures for identifying your goals' why, what and how.
Leadership isn’t a journey you should take alone. What if you had someone to come alongside you? I provide coaching to help you reach your vision, lead others and grow as a leader.
Strategic planning process
The strategic planning process is a more structured approach. It will feel like a big jump from the to-do list and SMART goals. It’s most commonly used for teams but also applies to an individual.
The process does an excellent job of identifying information that will inform your goals and the steps you will take to get there. One key advantage of the strategic planning process is that your plan fits on one page when completed.
To create your strategic plan, you define each part in order:
- Mission: What are we compelled to do?
- Vision: What will it look like when we accomplish the mission?
- Values: What do we consider important and should influence how we do the work?
- Current Reality: Where are we now?
- Critical Mass: What do we currently have that is necessary to move toward our vision?
- Results: What metrics will tell us if we have succeeded?
- Path Steps: What concrete steps will we take to move toward the vision?
The strategic planning process was the preferred method for the organization I was in when I first began leading teams. It was helpful because the process is straightforward and well-defined, but I quickly began to adapt it using some of the following methods.
For a deeper dive into each piece of the strategic planning process, I have a post that will walk you through running your own process.
You can also check out the book Advanced Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs if you want a really deep dive.
Vision framing your goals
The vision frame comes from Will Mancini’s book Church Unique. It improves on many aspects of the strategic planning process and excels at fleshing out the vision in clear and compelling terms.
I find writing the vision very helpful when setting the direction and aligning new teams. It provides a tangible and compelling picture of where we’re trying to go.
The tool creates a “frame” around your vision. Visually this helps you focus on where you’re going and what milestones take you there. Let’s cover some of the critical elements.
Vision Frame Elements
- Mandate – Mission. What are we doing?
- Motives – Values. Why are we doing it?
- Map – Strategy. How are we doing it?
- Marks – Measures. When are we successful?
- Mountaintop + Milestones – Vision Proper. Where are we going?
I like the visual nature of the Vision Frame approach. I’ve used it leading many different teams over the years and still refer to it when setting up a new team.
If you want to do this for yourself or your team, I’ve written out the steps you can follow to create your own vision frame. I also recommend buying Church Unique and working through it.
Related Guides
4 Disciplines of Execution
4DX comes from the same people who brought us the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I discovered The 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) about ten years ago as a young leader. It filled the critical gap of execution. 4DX focuses on expanding from strategy (what we will do) to execution (how we will do it).
Here are the four disciplines:
- Focus on the Wildly Important
- Act on the Lead Measures
- Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
- Create a Cadence of Accountability
The 4 Disciplines of Execution are beneficial for teams and projects that are more complex or require coordinated contributions from the team.
4DX focuses on expanding from strategy (what we will do) to execution (how we will do it)
The team I led ran 4DX for several years, which significantly impacted our goals and our team’s engagement. Some team members took a little while to get the hang of the lag measures. But once it clicked, we were able to see the daily impact of our actions on a four-month-long goal.
If you’re interested in applying 4DX personally or at work, I’ve elaborated on each discipline, and I recommend getting the Four Disciplines of Execution book.
Creating Clarity
The creating clarity concept comes from Parick Lencioni in his books Silos, Politics and Turf Wars and The Advantage. Side note, if you’re not familiar with Lencioni, take a moment and check out his leadership fables. They are easy to read, or listen to, and have a ton of practical wisdom for leadership.
You’ll see some significant overlap with each of the previous models. However, there are some helpful additions and nuances to the creating clarity process.
The clarity comes from answering six questions:
- Why do we exist?
- How do we behave?
- What do we do?
- How will we succeed?
- What is most important right now?
- Who must do what?
Answering these questions provides a framework to set goals and lead your team. The answers to these questions should align with each other and fit on one page, providing structure, focus, and clarity so that everyone can move in the same direction.
Creating clarity is an excellent tool for teams that must maintain focus on strategic goals. It keeps everyone aligned, accountable, and motivated toward achieving their objectives.
It has a lot in common with the vision frame, but Creating Clarity is a comprehensive framework that stands on its own. I like how it identifies the values driving individual and team behavior.
For this reason, I often combine Creating Clarity with other frameworks. In particular, I like to combine it with either 4DX or OKRs.
OKRs
The last goal-setting strategy I want to share is the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) method. This system was pioneered by Intel in the 1970s and popularized by Google in the early 2000s.
OKRs share many similarities to 4DX, and both are scalable across teams and organizations. But ORKs are lighter weight and thus a more adaptable system.
This approach focuses on setting a big, audacious goal (the Objective) and then breaking it down into smaller, achievable tasks that will move you toward the goal (the Key Results).
Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.
– JOHN DOERR
Objectives identify to goal to achieve. They’re usually one sentence, specific and actionable.
Key Results describe how the objectives are achieved. They are specific, quantifiable, and time-bound. When reviewing key results, it should be immediately apparent whether or not the result has been reached.
OKRs are great for teams who want to focus their efforts on a single, ambitious goal. They’re also helpful when coordinating across multiple departments or stakeholders to achieve a shared outcome.
The beauty of OKRs is that they are flexible and iterative. You can adjust the objectives or key results as needed to ensure you’re on track. They also provide a clear sense of progress and momentum, which can motivate your teams.
OKRs feels like a sweet spot to me of lightweight but fully integrated. I use it for my personal goal-setting, and it’s what I most commonly recommend to organizations I work with.
The framework is simple to learn and communicate but requires a high level of commitment to succeed. If you’re interested in learning more, I walk through the OKR process in more detail. I also suggest reading John Doerr’s book Measure What Matters or checking out his website.
Action Plan
I run Scrum both at work and at home. OKRs are my roadmap.
My sprints still have goals, and they often come from the key results I’ve set. Before that, I used the Vision Frame to set the direction and 4DX to get there. And I mixed a fair amount of flavor from the Advantage.
Whether you pick one of these goal-setting methods or create your style, I encourage you to take the time to set goals for this year. Then share them with someone else.
Pay attention to how it feels when you say them out loud to someone else. And ask for feedback. Seeing your goals through someone else’s eyes helps uncover blindspots and may generate new ideas for reaching your goals.
Whatever goal-setting strategy you choose, the key is ensuring that it fits your or your team and helps you achieve the desired outcome. Take a look at all of them – or better yet, combine them – and find the right system for you! Good luck! ;-) ! :)
I’d love to hear what goals you set for this year. Let’s connect on LinkedIn and take the journey together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Setting Goals
What is goal setting?
Goal setting is the process of identifying specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that you want to achieve. It involves determining what you want to accomplish, defining clear objectives, and developing a plan for achieving those objectives.
By setting goals, you can clarify your priorities, focus your efforts, measure progress, and ultimately achieve success.
Goal setting is an important skill that can help you in both your personal and professional life, enabling you to make progress towards your desired outcomes and improve your overall performance.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Why is goal setting important?
Goal setting is important for several reasons:
- Provides direction and focus: Setting goals gives you a clear sense of where you want to go and what you want to achieve, helping you direct your efforts and stay focused.
- Increases motivation: Goals can be a powerful motivator, providing the drive and determination you need to overcome obstacles and achieve your desired outcomes.
- Improves decision-making: When you have clear goals, it's easier to make decisions that are aligned with your objectives and help you make progress towards achieving them.
- Enhances productivity and performance: Goals provide a target for your efforts, helping you prioritize your time and focus on the tasks that will have the greatest impact on achieving your objective.
- Provides a sense of purpose and meaning: Setting goals that align with your values and passions can give your life a greater sense of purpose and meaning, helping you feel more fulfilled and satisfied.
- Enables personal growth and development: Achieving your goals often requires developing new skills, gaining knowledge, and pushing yourself beyond your limits, which can lead to personal growth and development.
- Increases confidence and self-esteem: Achieving your goals can boost your confidence and self-esteem, providing a sense of accomplishment and pride in your abilities.
In summary, goal setting is important because it provides direction and focus, increases motivation, enhances productivity and performance, provides a sense of purpose and meaning, enables personal growth and development, and increases confidence and self-esteem.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
What are the benefits of setting goals?
There are many benefits of setting goals, including:
- Increased motivation: Setting goals gives you a sense of purpose and direction, which can help increase your motivation to achieve your objectives.
- Greater focus and direction: Goals provide a clear target for your efforts, helping you stay focused and avoid distractions.
- Improved decision-making: Clear goals can help you make better decisions by providing a framework for evaluating different options and choosing the best course of action.
- Improved performance: Setting goals helps you identify areas where you need to improve and provides a benchmark against which you can measure your progress.
- Greater confidence: Achieving your goals can boost your confidence and self-esteem, helping you tackle new challenges with greater ease.
- Better time management: Goals can help you prioritize your time and focus on the most important tasks, increasing your productivity and efficiency.
- Enhanced personal development: Setting and achieving goals can help you develop new skills, gain knowledge, and grow as a person.
- Greater sense of achievement: Achieving your goals provides a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, boosting your overall well-being.
Overall, setting goals is an important tool for personal and professional growth, enabling you to achieve success and realize your full potential.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Can goal setting help you find direction in your life?
Absolutely, goal setting can indeed help you find direction in your life. Goals act like a compass, guiding you towards the things you want to achieve and helping you determine the path to get there. Here's how goal setting can provide direction:
- Clarity: Setting goals requires you to clearly define what you want to achieve. This process brings clarity by forcing you to articulate your dreams and aspirations.
- Focus: Goals provide a focal point for your energy and efforts. They help you avoid distractions and maintain focus on the tasks that will move you closer to your desired outcomes.
- Decision-Making: When you have clear goals, it becomes easier to make decisions. You can evaluate choices based on whether they move you closer to or further from your goals.
- Motivation: Goals give you something to strive for, which can be highly motivating. Knowing where you want to go can inspire you to take action, even when things get tough.
- Measurement: Goals provide a benchmark against which you can measure progress. This can help you see how far you've come and what steps you need to take next.
- Personal Growth: The process of setting and working towards goals can lead to personal growth. You may develop new skills, gain knowledge, and build confidence as you work towards your goals.
So, if you're feeling lost or unsure about the direction of your life, setting some goals might be a good place to start. Remember to make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to increase your chances of success.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
What are some common mistakes people make when setting goals?
Setting goals is an important process, but there are several common mistakes that people often make. Here are some of the most common mistakes:
- Setting vague or unrealistic goals: Goals that are too general, vague, or unrealistic can be difficult to achieve, leading to frustration and disappointment.
- Failing to align goals with values, passions, and priorities: Goals that are not aligned with your values, passions, and priorities may not provide the motivation you need to achieve them.
- Failing to break goals down into smaller steps: Large goals can feel overwhelming, making it difficult to stay motivated and focused. Breaking goals down into smaller steps can help make progress feel more achievable.
- Focusing solely on outcomes rather than the process: While achieving the desired outcome is important, focusing solely on the end result can lead to neglecting the process required to get there.
- Failing to track progress: Without tracking progress, it can be difficult to know whether you're making progress towards your goal.
- Not adapting goals to changing circumstances: Life is unpredictable, and circumstances can change. It's important to adjust goals as needed to reflect changes in your life.
- Failing to celebrate progress: Recognizing and celebrating progress along the way can boost motivation and help you stay committed to achieving your goal.
By avoiding these common mistakes and setting clear, realistic, and aligned goals, you can increase your chances of achieving your desired outcomes.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Living by goals
How can goal setting help you achieve success in your personal and professional life?
Goal setting is a powerful tool that can lead to success in both your personal and professional life. Setting and achieving goals has been a significant part of my personal and professional life.
When done right, goal setting can act as your personal GPS, guiding you toward success in both life and work. With clear objectives, you can navigate your path and make consistent, intentional decisions that lead toward the life you want to live.
Here's why goal setting is a game-changer:
- Clear Direction: Goals show you exactly where you want to go, making decisions so much easier and steering you straight towards success.
- Boosts Motivation: Having clear goals is like having a personal cheerleader. They keep you pumped up and eager to tackle each day with purpose.
- Enhances Focus: Goals act like a laser beam, concentrating your energy on what truly matters and cutting out distractions.
- Facilitates Planning: They break down those big dreams into bite-sized tasks, making your journey to success feel less like a marathon and more like a series of achievable sprints.
- Promotes Accountability: Sharing your goals with others can give you that extra push to stay on track. It's like having a workout buddy for your ambitions!
- Measures Progress: Goals let you see how far you've come. Every milestone reached is a reason to celebrate and a boost for the next step.
- Improves Time Management: With clear goals, you can prioritize like a pro, making sure you spend your time on what truly counts.
- Fosters Personal Growth: Every goal you chase helps you learn, adapt, and grow. It's all about becoming the best version of yourself.
But for this to happen, your goals must be clear, actionable and your own.
Below, I’ll give a more in-depth look at five benefits, three pitfalls, and an opportunity I believe will help you not only set but also achieve your goal.
Let’s get started. Here's how setting goals can be your ultimate success tool:
How do you align your goals with your values and passions?
Aligning your goals with your values and passions is crucial to ensure long-term motivation and satisfaction. Here are some steps to help you do this:
- Identify Your Values: The first step is to clearly identify what your core values are. These may be things like honesty, integrity, creativity, family, health, or financial security. Your values are the principles that guide your decisions and behavior.
- Recognize Your Passions: What activities, subjects, or causes feel meaningful to you? What do you love to do? Identifying your passions can provide a strong source of motivation for your goals.
- Set Goals That Reflect Your Values and Passions: Once you've identified your values and passions, you can set goals that align with them. For example, if one of your core values is health, a goal might be to exercise regularly. If you're passionate about writing, a goal might be to write a book.
- Check for Alignment: As you set your goals, check to see how well they align with your values and passions. If a goal doesn't align, you might want to reconsider it, as it may be difficult to stay motivated in the long run.
- Review and Adjust: Regularly review your goals to ensure they continue to align with your values and passions as these may evolve over time. Don't hesitate to adjust or change your goals if needed.
Remember, when your goals align with your values and passions, you're more likely to feel fulfilled and satisfied when you reach them. It also makes the journey towards achieving your goals more enjoyable and rewarding.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Can goal setting help you find direction in your life?
Absolutely, goal setting can indeed help you find direction in your life. Goals act like a compass, guiding you towards the things you want to achieve and helping you determine the path to get there. Here's how goal setting can provide direction:
- Clarity: Setting goals requires you to clearly define what you want to achieve. This process brings clarity by forcing you to articulate your dreams and aspirations.
- Focus: Goals provide a focal point for your energy and efforts. They help you avoid distractions and maintain focus on the tasks that will move you closer to your desired outcomes.
- Decision-Making: When you have clear goals, it becomes easier to make decisions. You can evaluate choices based on whether they move you closer to or further from your goals.
- Motivation: Goals give you something to strive for, which can be highly motivating. Knowing where you want to go can inspire you to take action, even when things get tough.
- Measurement: Goals provide a benchmark against which you can measure progress. This can help you see how far you've come and what steps you need to take next.
- Personal Growth: The process of setting and working towards goals can lead to personal growth. You may develop new skills, gain knowledge, and build confidence as you work towards your goals.
So, if you're feeling lost or unsure about the direction of your life, setting some goals might be a good place to start. Remember to make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to increase your chances of success.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
How do you prioritize your goals?
Prioritizing goals can be a challenging task, but it's crucial to ensure you're working on what matters most. Here are some steps to help you prioritize your goals:
- List all of your goals: Start by writing down all the goals you have, both big and small. This could include personal, professional, short-term, and long-term goals.
- Assess importance and urgency: For each goal, assess its importance and urgency. Importance refers to how much the goal matters to you and how significant its impact will be on your life. Urgency refers to whether the goal needs to be achieved immediately or can wait.
- Use a prioritization matrix: A common tool for prioritizing tasks and goals is the Eisenhower Matrix. It separates your actions based on four possibilities: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not urgent and not important.
- Consider your resources: Look at each goal in terms of the resources it requires. This includes time, money, effort, and emotional investment. Prioritize goals that align with your available resources.
- Align with your values: Ensure your goals align with your core values and long-term vision. If a goal doesn't contribute towards your overall life direction, it might not be a high priority.
- Review and adjust regularly: Priorities can change over time, so it's essential to review and adjust your goal priorities regularly.
By following these steps, you can create a clear roadmap for achieving your goals based on their importance, urgency, resource requirements, and alignment with your overall life objectives.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
How do you overcome obstacles that may prevent you from achieving your goals?
Overcoming obstacles is an important part of achieving your goals. Here are some strategies you can use to overcome obstacles and stay on track:
- Identify the obstacle: The first step in overcoming obstacles is to identify what the obstacle is. This might be a lack of resources, a difficult task, or a personal limitation.
- Develop a plan: Once you've identified the obstacle, develop a plan for how you will overcome it. This might involve seeking help from others, breaking the task down into smaller steps, or finding new resources.
- Stay flexible: Be prepared to adjust your plan if necessary. What worked in one situation may not work in another.
- Stay positive: It's important to maintain a positive attitude and focus on the progress you're making, rather than dwelling on setbacks or failures.
- Seek support: Don't be afraid to ask for help from others who have experience in overcoming similar obstacles. This can provide valuable insights and motivation.
- Learn from mistakes: If you encounter obstacles, take the time to reflect on what went wrong and what you can do differently next time.
- Stay committed: Remember why you set the goal in the first place, and keep your eye on the prize. Stay committed and focused on achieving your objective.
By using these strategies, you can overcome obstacles that may prevent you from achieving your goals and stay on track towards your desired outcomes.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Leveraging Goals
How do you prioritize your goals?
Prioritizing goals can be a challenging task, but it's crucial to ensure you're working on what matters most. Here are some steps to help you prioritize your goals:
- List all of your goals: Start by writing down all the goals you have, both big and small. This could include personal, professional, short-term, and long-term goals.
- Assess importance and urgency: For each goal, assess its importance and urgency. Importance refers to how much the goal matters to you and how significant its impact will be on your life. Urgency refers to whether the goal needs to be achieved immediately or can wait.
- Use a prioritization matrix: A common tool for prioritizing tasks and goals is the Eisenhower Matrix. It separates your actions based on four possibilities: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not urgent and not important.
- Consider your resources: Look at each goal in terms of the resources it requires. This includes time, money, effort, and emotional investment. Prioritize goals that align with your available resources.
- Align with your values: Ensure your goals align with your core values and long-term vision. If a goal doesn't contribute towards your overall life direction, it might not be a high priority.
- Review and adjust regularly: Priorities can change over time, so it's essential to review and adjust your goal priorities regularly.
By following these steps, you can create a clear roadmap for achieving your goals based on their importance, urgency, resource requirements, and alignment with your overall life objectives.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
How often should you review your goals?
The frequency with which you should review your goals can depend on the nature of the goals themselves. However, a common recommendation is to review them regularly to ensure you're making progress and staying on track. Here are some general guidelines:
- Daily: If your goal has daily steps or tasks, it's beneficial to review these at the start of each day. This can help you stay focused and prioritize your activities for the day.
- Weekly: A weekly review can be useful for checking in on your short-term goals and the progress you've made over the past week. It can also help you plan your tasks for the upcoming week.
- Monthly: Monthly reviews are great for assessing your progress towards medium-term goals. They can provide a broader perspective and allow you to adjust your strategies if necessary.
- Quarterly/Semi-Annually: For long-term goals, a quarterly or semi-annual review can be effective. These reviews allow you to see the bigger picture and make significant adjustments if needed.
- Annually: An annual review is a good opportunity to reflect on the past year, celebrate your achievements, and set new goals for the coming year.
Remember, these are just guidelines. The key is to find a review frequency that works best for you and your specific goals. Regular review ensures you stay accountable, track your progress, and make necessary adjustments to your plans.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
How many goals should you have at one time?
The number of goals you should have at one time can vary greatly depending on your individual capacity, resources, and circumstances. However, a common recommendation is to focus on a few key goals at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and ensure that you can devote sufficient time and energy to each goal.
The truth is, fewer goals mean more focus. AND more achieving.
So, how many goals should you aim for?
It depends on your timeline.
If we’re talking about annual goals, then maybe 8-10 or just enough to cover different areas of your life—like your health, career, and relationships—without leaving you overwhelmed.
8-10 Annual goals will break down to about 2-3 goals a quarter, which allows you to focus your attention and energy long enough to make a significant impact.
Now, if we’re talking about daily goals, we teach in our Goal Focus Coaching Program to have no more than 3 priority actions a day. That may not seem like a lot, but when you stack it day after day, it has over 1,000 priority actions for the year. That impact is huge.
Having a limited number of goals allows you to focus and make meaningful progress. If you spread yourself too thin across many goals, you may find it difficult to make significant progress in any area.
Remember, it's not about the quantity of goals, but the quality of your focus and effort towards achieving them. It's better to fully commit to a few important goals than to juggle many goals without making substantial progress.
Keep in mind that everyone's capacity for goal-setting is different, and what works best for you might be different from what works for someone else. It's crucial to find a balance that feels manageable and aligns with your personal aspirations and lifestyle.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
How do you measure progress toward your goals?
Goal setting is just the start. Goal achieving is what we all really want, and keeping track is where the magic happens.
At Everyday Design, we want to help you build momentum toward your goals. When you begin stacking daily wins, something magical happens—you feel progress. This momentum fuels your focus and commitment, even through setbacks and detours.
If you want to measure progress toward your goals, follow these steps.
- Define Your Goals Clearly: Use the SMART framework to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
- Break Goals into Tasks: Divide big goals into smaller, manageable tasks and set priorities with a clear timeline.
- Use Tools for Tracking: Leverage tools like to-do apps and the Goal Focus Worksheet to visualize and track progress efficiently.
- Regular Review and Reflection: Weekly reviews to celebrate wins, identify obstacles, and plan improvements keep you engaged and on track.
- Get Expert Help: Book a ReFocus Power Hour to spot trouble spots, strategize for success, and ensure alignment with long-term goals.
- Keep a Progress Journal: Record your achievements, focus your day, and discover insights to stay motivated and accountable.
- Celebrate Milestones: Recognize your achievements to boost morale, fuel motivation, and reinforce your commitment to your goals.
Below I break down each step into more detail to help you stay on the path to success!
How do you celebrate achieving your goals?
Celebrating your achievements is an important part of the goal-setting process. It helps to reinforce positive behavior, keeps you motivated, and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Here are some ways to celebrate achieving your goals.
- Treat Yourself: A classic way to celebrate is to treat yourself to something you enjoy. This could be a special meal, a new book, a day off, or anything else that makes you happy.
- Share Your Success: Sharing your achievements with others can be a great way to celebrate. You could tell friends and family about your success, post an update on social media, or even throw a small party.
- Take a Break: Achieving a goal often requires hard work and dedication. Taking some time off to relax and recharge can be a great way to celebrate your success.
- Reflect on Your Achievement: Take some time to reflect on what you've achieved and how far you've come. This can help reinforce the positive behaviors that led to your success and prepare you for future challenges.
- Set a New Goal: Once you've achieved a goal, it can be motivating to set a new one. This helps maintain momentum and keeps you moving forward.
Remember, the celebration should be proportionate to the size and significance of the achievement. Small victories deserve recognition too, but they might not warrant the same level of celebration as larger, more significant achievements. The key is to find a way to celebrate that feels rewarding and meaningful to you.
Learn more about how to effectively set goals.
Team Leadership
What is team leadership?
Team leadership is a management approach focused on leading and guiding a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. A team leader is responsible for providing direction, support, and guidance to the team members, while fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Team leadership involves setting clear goals and expectations for the team, communicating effectively, and building trust and relationships with team members. It also involves empowering team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their unique skills and perspectives to the team's success.
Some key characteristics of effective team leadership include:
- Communication: Team leaders communicate clearly and effectively with their team members, keeping them informed about goals, expectations, and progress.
- Vision and strategy: Effective team leaders have a clear vision for what they want to achieve and a strategy for how to get there, while also being flexible and adaptable when necessary.
- Empowerment: Good team leaders empower their team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work, while also providing support and guidance as needed.
- Trust-building: Team leaders build trust and strong relationships with their team members, creating a positive and productive work environment.
- Results-oriented: Finally, effective team leaders are results-oriented, focusing on achieving goals and driving performance while also valuing the well-being and development of their team members.
Overall, team leadership is a collaborative and empowering approach to management that values communication, trust-building, and results-driven performance.
What are the different styles of team leadership?
There are several different styles of team leadership, including:
- Democratic leadership: In this style, the leader encourages open communication and participation from all team members in decision-making processes.
- Autocratic leadership: This style involves the leader making decisions and taking control over the team's direction, often with little input from team members.
- Transformational leadership: This style focuses on inspiring and motivating team members to achieve their full potential, often by setting a clear vision and communicating goals effectively.
- Servant leadership: A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their team members, focusing on serving and empowering them to achieve their goals.
- Laissez-faire leadership: In this style, the leader provides minimal guidance or direction, allowing team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions independently.
- Transactional leadership: This style involves setting clear goals and expectations for team members and providing rewards or discipline based on performance.
- Situational leadership: This approach involves adapting one's leadership style to fit the specific situation or needs of the team at any given time.
Overall, each style of team leadership has its own strengths and weaknesses, and effective leaders may use a combination of different styles depending on the situation and the needs of their team.
What are the different skills required for team leadership?
There are several key skills required for effective team leadership, including:
- Clear: Team leaders must be to communicate effectively with their team members, setting clear expectations and goals, providing feedback, and keeping everyone informed about progress and changes.
- Active listening: Leaders need to be able to listen actively to their team members, hear their concerns, ideas, and suggestions, and work collaboratively to find solutions.
- Empathy: Good team leaders value empathy, recognizing and understanding the perspectives of their team members, and working to build trust and strong relationships
- Decision-making: Leaders must be able to make informed decisions based on available information and input from team members, while also being decisive when necessary.
- Problem-solving: Effective team leaders must be able to identify and solve problems that arise within the team, working collaboratively to find creative and effective solutions.
- Motivation and empowerment: Leaders must be able to motivate and empower their team members to take ownership of their work, overcome challenges, and achieve their full potential.
- Delegation and management: Team leaders must be able to delegate tasks effectively, manage resources and timelines, and oversee the work of the team to ensure quality and efficiency.
Overall, effective team leadership requires a combination of interpersonal, decision-making, and management skills, as well as the ability to inspire and empower team members to work collaboratively towards shared goals.
What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
- Empathy: Servant leaders value empathy, placing themselves in the shoes of their followers to better understand their needs and motivations.
- Listening: They are active listeners, taking the time to listen to their followers' concerns, feedback, and ideas.
- Commitment to development: Servant leaders prioritize the growth and development of their followers, providing opportunities for learning and development.
- Humility: They recognize their own limitations and seek input from others to make informed decisions.
- Stewardship: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, working to create a positive impact for all stakeholders.
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant Leadership
What is servant leadership?
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
- Empathy: Servant leaders value empathy, placing themselves in the shoes of their followers to better understand their needs and motivations.
- Listening: They are active listeners, taking the time to listen to their followers' concerns, feedback, and ideas.
- Commitment to development: Servant leaders prioritize the growth and development of their followers, providing opportunities for learning and development.
- Humility: They recognize their own limitations and seek input from others to make informed decisions.
- Stewardship: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, working to create a positive impact for all stakeholders.
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
How can servant leadership be beneficial in the workplace?
Servant leadership can be beneficial in the workplace in a number of ways, including:
- Improved employee engagement and job satisfaction: When employees feel supported, valued, and empowered by their leaders, they tend to be more engaged and satisfied with their work.
- Increased collaboration and teamwork: Servant leaders prioritize communication, collaboration, and trust-building, which can lead to stronger relationships and more effective teamwork.
- Higher levels of productivity and innovation: When leaders empower their team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their ideas, it can lead to higher levels of productivity and innovation.
- Reduced turnover and absenteeism: Employees who feel supported and valued are less likely to leave their jobs or call in sick, leading to reduced turnover and absenteeism rates.
- Improved organizational culture: Servant leadership can create a positive organizational culture that values growth, development, and well-being for all stakeholders, which can lead to improved morale and outcomes.
Overall, servant leadership can lead to a more positive, productive, and fulfilling workplace environment, benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
How does servant leadership differ from other leadership styles?
Servant leadership differs from many other leadership styles in several key ways:
- Focus on serving others: Servant leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of their followers over their own interests, while many other leadership styles focus more on achieving organizational goals.
- Empathy and listening skills: Servant leaders value empathy and active listening skills to better understand the needs and perspectives of their followers, while some other leadership styles may be more focused on asserting authority or making decisions without input from others.
- Collaboration and teamwork: Servant leaders prioritize collaboration and teamwork, seeking to empower and develop their followers to achieve their full potential, while other leadership styles may be more focused on competition or individual achievement.
- Humility and accountability: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, prioritizing the well-being of all stakeholders and taking responsibility for their decisions, while some other leadership styles may be more focused on personal ambition or avoiding blame.
Overall, servant leadership is characterized by a focus on serving others, prioritizing empathy and collaboration, and taking a humble and accountable approach to leadership. While other leadership styles may be effective in different contexts, servant leadership can be a powerful tool for creating positive change and empowering others to reach their full potential.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
StrengthsFinder
So do I totally ignore my weaknesses and just focus on my strengths?
Strengths-based growth doesn’t encourage you to ignore your weaknesses but not to spend too much time trying to turn them into strengths. Instead, you may need to find team members or systems to fill in your gaps.
Learn more about how StrengthsFind influences your leadership.
There are strengths I think I have; why didn’t they didn’t show up in my top 5?
For some people, their strengths ranked 5, 6 or 7 are almost even. You could also be misattributing a skill or behavior to a specific strength.
Learn more about how StrengthsFind influences your leadership.
Should I pay to see all 34 strengths?
Seeing your other 29 strengths can help give you a fuller picture. But initially, someone should focus on further developing those top 5 strengths rather than trying to give attention across the list. Once you have a good grasp on what it looks like to lead from your top 5, it can be helpful to explore the rest of the list.
Learn more about how StrengthsFind influences your leadership.
What’s the difference between a talent and a strength?
A talent is your natural way of thinking or behaving. A strength is a talent developed over time through knowledge, skills and practice.
Learn more about how StrengthsFinder influences your leadership.
