How To Get Back on Track When Goal Setting Goes Wrong
By: Hanif Hemani
Finding success in
life isn’t about hitting every goal you set. Any entrepreneur can tell you that
failure is just another step in the journey to success. What’s important is how
you react to those failures.
First, realize that
you’re not alone. A survey
reported in Inc. magazine revealed that 77 per cent of small business owners
have yet to reach their vision for their companies.
Don’t waste
valuable time beating yourself up over missed goals. According to a report
by Psychology Today, this will lower your energy and feelings of self-worth,
making it harder to get back on track.
To move forward,
it’s important to analyze whether poor goal setting is what tripped you up.
This is all too common, and according to The Globe and Mail Career
Lab series, you’re more likely to succeed if
you set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results Driven, Timely) goals.
Drill Down
According to an article
by Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, thousands of studies have shown the importance of
narrowing your goals to specific, concrete targets.
So, rather than
setting a broad goal, like “achieving better success at work,” set specific
benchmarks that are measurable, such as reaching a certain position, or making
a target salary or commission. To support this long-range goal, assign yourself
medium-term steps, which you’ll need to accomplish to reach your target. Get
feedback from your boss or mentor on what you’ll need to achieve to meet this
goal, and which stumbling blocks you may have to overcome.
Keep It Real
If the only way to make
your goal is to work a 70-hour work week for the next year, you are likely
going to burn out. Inc. magazine notes that while a challenge
is important, if you set goals that are too challenging,
you will wind up exhausted and unable to maintain the personal relationships in
your life. Fatigue and burnout often lead to mistakes that limit your abilities
to achieve your goals.
Check
Your Time
Once you have your goals in place,
it’s essential to align time management with your future plan, according to an article in the Harvard
Business Review. This will help you determine whether the way you spend your
time now is going to allow you to reach your future goals. Look for things that
bog you down, distract you or steal time from your objectives.
The idea is to find any areas of
misalignment, and then adjust your workflow or the goal, as needed.
Don’t
Go It Alone
It’s easier to meet any goal when
you have sound advice and guidance from others. In fact, an article by life coach Lesley
Knowles notes that accepting help and support from others is essential to
success.
Friends and family can be your
greatest cheerleaders and offer helpful encouragement. On the business side, your
best bet is to find a mentor who is knowledgeable in your field. A good mentor
can help you stay focused on your goals, suggest new strategies you may not
have considered, and hold you accountable if you become distracted from your
plan.
Better goal setting can make a
real difference in your ability to overcome roadblocks on your path to success.
Before you set your next round of goals, make sure you take a moment to enjoy
your success. Celebrate with those who supported your journey. Then, consider
which goal setting elements helped you get where you are, and use them to set
your vision for the future.