Why you should read this chapter:
We’ve all been in a state where we’re content with life, but want more. At the end of the day we ask ourselves what else could there be? In this book, we outline how you can get focused, finish projects and establish focused habits; but what about goal setting? What about traditional “SMART” goals? What about goals like, “Become a leading figure in my industry and accumulate $52 million within six years.” Those are nice, those are “smart,” yet are those truly meaningful? Are they focused? Or are they just regurgitation from summer reading self-help books?
This chapter is for those that have tried setting goals in the past, but the goals they set fizzled out. This chapter is for those that became overwhelmed in intense goal-setting exercises. It’s for those that have abandoned the thought of setting goals because the exercise proved to obtuse, vague and complex. It’s for those that can’t find any inspiration in the thought of setting goals–because they’ve lost the belief that setting goals serves any purpose.
In this chapter, we’ll explore what it takes to set effective goals. Goals that inspire you, drive you and are founded on common sense.
The Third Faction:
You must understand that focused goals are unlike any goal exercise you’ve done before. In today’s world of goal setting there sits two extreme groups or factions:
Faction 1
The first faction proclaims that you should set “SMART” goals. This is a clever acronym for goals that are “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.” This concept is typically introduced in all-day seminars on goal-setting.
Faction 2
The second faction proclaims that goal setting is a worthless exercise. This group reasons that the world changes so fast, that you shouldn’t waste your time setting goals–you should just act and react.
Focused goals sit in a different group.
Faction 3
The Third Faction isn’t a meeting between these two camps. The third faction is a meeting between common sense, simplicity and action. This method centers on setting goals that are rather simple in nature, and then executing these goals within a short time period. We’ll explore this below.
But first, you must understand one thing:
Focused goals aren’t smart
What do I mean by “Focused goals aren’t smart?”
As outlined above, SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Courses and books are written that take you through a whirlwind of examples, lessons and reasons for implementing these types of goals.
The biggest problem with SMART goals centers on one thing: they lack purpose. These goals are carried out after reading about the concept in some textbook, or special seminar. Participants tend to create goals that are more focused on abiding by the “SMART” system than their own belief system. When creating a goal, it’s just as important to know when to start, as it is knowing what to start.
Thus, before setting a goal, you must make sure that you’re in the proper state to set goals.
The Proper State of Mind
The reason why most goal setting exercises fail is because they focus more on the principles, or concepts, rather than the desires of those setting the goal.
Outlined below are two elements that will assist you in stepping into the proper state before setting a goal. It will allow you to set a goal that’s meaningful for you; not a goal that’s driven by a catchy acronym.
I. Humility
Goal setting is not about you.
By nature, goal setting is a profoundly selfish exercise.
We focus on what we don’t have, what we want, how much we want and when we want it. We think of material items like a Lexus or a BMW or a golden toilet (one of those would be nice). Kidding aside, we write out proclamations like, “I’m going to get a Master’s degree within two years, and accumulate a net worth of $2,000,000. After this, I will be happy and content, and work whenever I want to.” We can easily lose ourselves when thinking like this, which is dangerous.
When setting goals, it’s not about you. It’s about how you can leverage your gifts for others.
For assistance on getting into this state, I find it helpful watching videos of those that are living their purpose. Like this one:
When in a state of goal setting, first start by humbling yourself and realizing how lucky you are to be setting goals in the first place. Your goals shouldn’t focus on net worth, cars or materials; your goals should focus meaning, purpose and your gifts.
II. Meaning
The second element for getting into the proper state of setting goals centers on mining your meaning.
In order to mine meaningful goals, you’ll need two things: a pad of paper and a pencil. Most goal-setting exercises tell you to get your goals in writing as soon as possible. What’s more important than that is putting your thoughts in writing (not necessarily the goal in writing).
By writing by hand, your thoughts suddenly free themselves from the confines of your mind. You’ll allow yourself to understand your desires and your dreams in a clearer fashion. Motivate yourself by grabbing a writing pad and a pencil. At the top of the paper, write the following question:
“What am I here for, and how can this move the world?“
This is a very open question, and a tough one to answer. In order to help you understand what you’re here for, think of the hobbies that you have or the times in which you’ve fallen into the state of flow. There’s no correct answer; there’s only true answers. Be true to yourself when mapping out different answers and components of your life. After each item that you write down, move further by constantly asking, “Why is this important?”
In a different chapter, we explore other questions to ask yourself, and in which manner to ask those questions. For now, though, the above question will serve as an adequate start for getting in the state of setting a purposeful, focused goal.
The Focused Goal Formula
Now that you’re in the proper state to be setting a goal, it’s time to unveil the actual formula for setting a focused, purpose-driven goal.
Focused goals contain only two elements: three words and three months. I’ll dive into these elements now, and then show you a sample of a focused goal.
1. Three Words
After conducting an audit on who you are, and your dreams, it’s critical to cut these goals down into actionable bites. I’m not talking about smaller goals necessarily. I’m talking about Memes.
What is a meme?
A meme (pronounced so that it rhymes with “cream”) is an idea, a thought, or an image that drives emotion and spreads–almost instantly. Much like a picture speaks a thousand words, a meme drives a thousand emotions. Your goals should be memes. My method for creating a goal that likens itself to a meme is to condense it into three words.
The reason the goal should be only three words is that there’s so much fat and extra fluff when you’re given free reign–even 140 characters is too much room for setting a goal. Keeping a goal tied to three words cuts the fat, and drives action.
Samples:
- Write a book
- Create a startup
- Make an album
- Quit smoking cigarettes
- Run a marathon
- Change children’s lives
After you’ve listed a handful of memes, select one that is aligned with the meaning you’ve mined from the exercise above. It’s critical to select only one.
2. Three Months
After you’ve selected one meme that really inspires you, it’s time to “chunk it.” Do this by setting a three-month time line for this meme. After this, please read the short-term goal chapter on finishing projects to see it through. In order to meet this, it’s wise to make the goal an everyday part of your life. Make it a habit to focus on the goal for at least an hour every single day.
But what if your goals can’t be carried out in three months?
This is where the concept of “chunking” comes into play. We often feel overwhelmed because we’re staring in the face of a goal that is daunting, and seemingly, impossible. Yet, you’ll find that when you actually embark on the goal, and break it into smaller chunks, you’ll find yourself fast on your way to accomplishing the goal.
The reason why your goal’s time period should be short is because life itself is short.
For instance, here’s sample focused goal that I set for myself:
“Write a book.”
I’ve set the due date within three months for the first version. I’ve been working every single morning to meet this goal. It’s a habit. I’ve yet to miss a morning. Yet, will I finish it within three months? Maybe, maybe not. If not, I’ll have to push it back a month or so. Big deal. I’ll have still met a goal in a short amount of time–and more importantly, the goal is profoundly meaningful to me. Don’t beat yourself up over not meeting a deadline. But you’ll want to beat yourself up if you never even start.
As an alternative, I could have taken a more traditional route and set a SMART goal. I would have written, “I want to write a book in 2010 and get on Oprah before I’m 30 years old.” Or something like that.
I mean, writing a book right now doesn’t meet the “realistic” requirement of SMART goals, right? I’ve never written a book before, only read and dreamed about publishing one day. If I followed SMART principles, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. What ends up happening when setting SMART goals is you set goals that are founded on a brittle purpose. The goals you set end up being too confusing, and not action-oriented.
Simply select a meaningful three-word goal and do it in three months. That’s a focused goal. That’s a meaningful goal.
Best of luck.
Conclusion
As a next step, follow the action plan below:
First, watch the video in the chapter and get into a humble state
Second, find a blank piece of paper and a pencil and write the question, “What am I here for, and how can this move the world?”
Third, select a three-word goal.
Last, do it in three months–make it a habit and a part of your life every single day.
IMPORTANT: If you enjoyed this article, I'd like for you to experience much more by purchasing the book. You can check out via Paypal or Google Checkout. Click here to buy the book.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Great chapter, Scott. I find myself falling into a ‘state of flow’ reading this book. 2 thoughts after reading this chapter:
1. Towards the end, the last few paragraphs. You start to talk about “I” and your goal of writing this book. That is definitely relevant to the lessons of the chapter. It should be included. But don’t stray from the “you” focus, the “why and how this matters to you, dear reader” tone of most of your writing.
The casual language of: “I mean, writing a book right now doesn’t meet the “realistic” requirement of SMART goals, right? I’ve never written a book before, only read and dreamed about publishing one day.” loses me a little. Giving your example and then quickly returning to your call to the reader to . . . Set Better Goals
. . . will be a more tidy ending to the chapter.
2. What are your thoughts on goal-setting for rank and file employees? Professionally-speaking, they are usually the ones pushed into making up fluffy goal lists that serve the company or their boss. It’s an interesting dynamic in goal-setting – how to make meaningful goals that please “the man” but still let you work towards something you care about.
Reading this chapter, I am inspired. I am an entrepreneur and self driven. What about your average corporate employee? Do they feel the same or do they need additional attention on this issue? I know people that set goals purely to please the boss and it’s upsetting.
Thanks, Nate! Really appreciate it. I’ll add it in. Very good points; re-reading it, it definitely flows better your way.
[D]on’t beat yourself up over not meeting a deadline. But you’ll want to beat yourself up [if you never even start.]
–hyphenate action-oriented
Last, do it in three months[M-dash]make it a habit and a part of your life every single day.
–For years I’ve thought there was something a little fishy about “SMART” goals, but I couldn’t quite sum it up. You did: “founded on a brittle purpose.” I’m going to remember that.
Kristen — Sorry about the late reply! This must’ve slipped past me. I’ll update your corrections now. Thanks a lot!
-s
Just updated it. Thanks, again.
P.S.
Glad you liked my take on SMART goals.
I appreciate what you’re trying to say here. However, I perceive a strong emphasis on the individual, even when serving others.
In reality, I invariably find myself involved in collective or group activities within interlocking webs of individuals; all functioning ‘well enough’ as individuals, yet having reached the limits of what they can do alone. I do not depend on this web, but it enhances my life to such an extent that my goals are heavily influenced by it, and by what it generates and offers beyond the framework of my own skills/contacts/drive/empathy.
Consequently, my individual goals often depend for their actualisation on how well-integrated they are with relevant groups and other key individuals, especially as most of my interests are trans- and inter-disciplinary. These connections inspire and motivate to the point where I find it hard to realise totally individual goals, or even think like an individual. I often think ‘I don’t need to read/learn/attend A or B because X or Y is already doing it, and I trust X or Y to share the essential findings’.
I’m not brilliantly successful, or rich, or motivated, but beginning to feel as if I’ve exhausted the possibilities of individual life (family, career, relationships, creative expression, psychological challenge and growth), and – instead of trying to be a more effective individual – I feel a strong pull toward group life; some kind of collective of self-responsible adults working together for a more inclusive ‘trans-individual’ life, spanning various cultures, disciplines and backgrounds.
Dave — Thanks for the insightful reply. The argument that those who server others in order to make themselves feel better, and thus acting selfishly (through selfless acts), is a very interesting one. I don’t buy it though because I don’t think it’s sustainable.
I’m not saying it’s selfish to serve others (even if the motive is only to feel better about ourselves), only that collaboration and co-operation are more inclusive than the individual path, and can stimulate our growth and usefulness on the way.
Great article.
If you’d like a tool for setting your goals, you can use this web application:
http://www.Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A Vision Wall (inspiring images attached to yor goals) is available too.
Works also on mobile, and syncs with Evernote.
This is a great chapter! I do admit to missing some connections in the flow of the content, but it could simply be how I am interpreting it.
I took the first part to be about discovering internal motivation, passions and the “why” behind them – as you stated “conducting an audit on who you are”. I got lost right after that when it reads “it’s critical to take these goals and cut them down into actionable bites.” It didn’t seem to me in the process of auditing who you are that goals were being established so I got confused and lost the connection from that point on.
I feel I would have liked to see an example of what the written process might have been from answering “What am I here for and how can this move the world?” to memes, to the sample list of three word goals.
Still a great chapter!
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