Get What You Want — How To Succeed With Goal Setting
How you go about goal setting is crucial — it can make the difference between getting what you want or not. Let's see how to do it right.
I.
People always talk about "goals." But really, they are talking about three different things:
Dreams
Goals
Hypotheses
II.
Dreams are goals we find desirable, but that we are doing nothing about. We like the idea in our head, but we are not committed to it.
Me saying, "I would like to be as rich as Elon Musk," is a dream. Of course, I find his wealth and status desirable. But am I currently trying to build the next Tesla? No.
It doesn't have to be that extreme. You might also claim, "I want to get ripped," but then reach for another donut. It's a dream. You like the idea, but you are not willing to pay the price.
I would estimate that when new clients talk to me about their goals, about 80 percent of these "goals" fall into the dream category. Chances are, it's the same for you. Many of your "goals" are actually dreams.
This is important to realize. Once you admit this to yourself, you can park these ideas. I am not saying you should abandon them. But as long as you are not ready to act on them, there is no point in wasting mental bandwidth on them.
III.
Goals are things that you would like to accomplish and that you are already taking action on.
Me saying, "I want to be a content creator and sell courses," is a goal. It's not just an idea in my head. I publish a long-form blog article every week, I send out a newsletter, and I build backlinks. It might not be all the way there yet, but effort is being made.
But goals require a lot of groundwork. You need to gain a lot of insights before you can decide on a specific objective. You need to know…
… what excites you
… what you are naturally good at
… what the market wants
Chances are, you don’t know any of these things yet. You are still fumbling about in the dark.
This is where hypotheses come in.
IV.
With a hypothesis, there is no pressure. You form a hypothesis, then test it out. If you were right, great. If not, you move on to the next hypothesis.
Let’s say you regularly think about the following three options:
“Maybe I should follow my passion for playing the drums.”
“Maybe I should double down on learning how to code.”
“Maybe I should get licensed as a real estate agent.”
If you have no clear favorite, just pick one. Use a dice if you must. A hypothesis is just a starting point.
The real magic happens during the testing phase. For three months, you completely immerse yourself in your chosen activity. For example, if your hypothesis was to get licensed as a real estate agent, spend three months working for an established realtor for free.
If, after three months, you are still excited about the thing, you might have a keeper.
Hypotheses bridge the gap between your current state of confusion and a state of clearly defined goals. With every new round of testing, you add a few more pieces to the puzzle. Eventually, you will have a clear idea of what your goal in life is.
V.
Once you have figured out your big, exciting life goal, you must translate that goal into daily habits.
Let's say you want to write a sci-fi novel. A typical length for that genre is 90,000 words. So, if you write and edit 500 words a day, within 180 days, you will have completed your novel. Now you know exactly what to do.
This kind of breakdown can be done for any project; it just takes some research. For example, if your goal is to become a studio musician, look at the journey of other studio musicians. You will quickly find out that about 10 years of deliberate practice, 3–4 hours a day, will get you there.
Now, you don't only have clarity about your goals; you also know beyond a doubt that if you stick with your daily quota, you will get there in X amount of time. It's as certain as death and taxes.
Are you trying to accomplish an important life goal, but struggling to make it happen? I help people achieve their goals via accountability coaching.
It's not just a self-help hoax. A study by The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) found that if you have ongoing accountability meetings with a person, your chances of succeeding with a goal are 95 percent. My own coaching experience supports that number.
Sounds interesting? Then set up a free introductory call. I would love to hear from you!
Until next week,
Niels