All this month, we’ve been talking about Clarity. Particularly, how to make sure your goals align with your mission, vision, and values. So, we brought in Rachyl Kershaw of Greater Columbus Consulting for a great workshop on gamifying goals. In it, she dropped some great truth bombs that we know will help as you plan out your professional (and personal) goals.
Set a Timer
Planning should be 20% of the game where 80% is about execution. When you set a limit for yourself, you can force yourself to move quickly, with purpose, and avoid overthinking. Have you ever heard of Parkinson’s Law? Try setting a timer for 30-60 minutes.
Start with a clear vision
Vision is seeing yourself or your business in 3-5 years. Get specific: How will you know when you’ve achieved it? Is it a specific metric like a revenue or sales goal? Does it mean you’ve earned an accolade or award of some kind? How will you feel when you achieve your vision? How will it affect your lifestyle? The path to getting there becomes easier when you’ve paved it with clarity.
Work Backwards
Once you know where you’re going, work backwards, one step at a time, to identify the milestones to get you towards your vision. Try this process for short and long term goals, breaking them down, one step at a time.
Pause for Reflection
Plan brief pauses along the way to stop and reflect on how each step you take aligns with your mission (your why), vision (your ideal future), and values (your compass of non-negotiables). Ask yourself: How am I doing? Is this the right direction? Am I doing the right things? Am I still clear on my vision and the steps to get there?
Fill in the Gaps with Actions
Remember that steps don’t have to be leaps. Even small actions or atomic habits can build big results. Ask yourself: What’s one small action I can take towards my goals? Try not to overdo it here. You are just one person.
Avoid Distractions
Whatever is hot and trendy can quickly muddy even the clearest of visions. Chances are, it’s probably a distraction that could move you away from alignment. Remember: if it’s not a “Hell yes!”, it’s very likely a “No”.
Your Plan Will Change
And it should as you learn more along the way! The further in time you move forward, the clearer you should be able to see. Your mission, vision, and values won’t change much, but can certainly be refined. The rest your plan might flex by:
-
Keeping the tasks involving both your talent and passion
-
Adding what’s missing from your initial dream that could enhance your reality
-
Delegating or outsourcing the less important items not directly tied to achieving your vision
-
Eliminating what that’s not working or no longer align with your vision
Plan for Joy
Don’t forget to celebrate when you reach important milestones. Planning for it in advance also gives you something to look forward to and strive for. Plus, celebrating wins enhances your ability to envision the future even clearer.
To dive in deeper on upping your goal-setting game with an expert, reach out to Rachyl Kershaw today so you can add even more clarity to your tomorrow.
If you’re interested in joining these conversations and workshops live, join us as part of the Haven Community either virtually or in-person.