Sorting Out the WHAT, WHY and HOW of Goal-Setting
It’s February already.
Did you set any New Year’s resolutions? Have you broken any? Do you feel discouraged by your lack of follow through? Or did you decide against setting resolutions this year?
Here’s a way of sorting out the WHAT, WHY and HOW of goal-setting.
WHAT → goals
We all set goals.
Most are set to achieve happiness or avoid unwanted emotions, like anxiety or sadness. Many are set subconsciously. We look at others, then beat ourselves up for falling short. Instead of living our dreams, we become trapped in a nightmare.
WHY → motivation
Motivation impacts on how likely you’re going to follow through.
- Away motivation involves trying to avoid negative consequences. It often reduces your changes of achieving your goal.
- Toward motivation connects you to your values. It increases your changes of achieving your goal.
Answer these questions to uncover your toward motivation:
- What goals would I set if I had nobody left to prove myself to?
- What goals would I invest my time in achieving if anxiety, fear or struggles weren’t an issue?
- What goals are so important for me to pursue that I’m willing to feel unwanted emotions and accept uncomfortable experiences?
HOW → actions
We’re more likely to take action on small goals than big goals.
Pick one. Break it into tiny actions. Then commit to it for a week.
Consistently failing to follow through erodes our confidence. So, reconnect with your values whenever you realise you’re struggling to follow through.
Then take the next small step.
Inspiration: chapter 7 of Leonard-Curtin, A., & Leonard-Curtin, T. (2019). The power of small: Making tiny but powerful changes when everything feels too much. Hachette Books Ireland. link