Achieve Your Goals by Balancing Focus
How many goals do you have set for yourself? If you are like me, your list is way too long and they are all stored in varied states. Some are written, some I have shared verbally, and others only exist in my head (I consider these dreams rather than goals).
Step one to achieving your goals is to write them all down. Writing goals down accomplishes two things. One, you get the opportunity to think through the goal. What does it really mean? Does it make sense? Is it even attainable? Secondly, you solidify the dream into a goal. If you never write it down and never share that goal, it will change and morph. You may even accomplish your initial goal, but you won’t know it unless you put a stake in the ground to measure progress against.
Now that you have them written you’ll probably realize you have multiple goals in each category and you aren’t making progress on any of them, maybe because you are trying to do all of them. This can be overwhelming, so start small by separating your goals into active and future goals.
Active goals are things you are actively working on accomplishing today. Future goals are things you want to do some day, but haven’t even begun to figure out the first steps. Maybe you want to climb a mountain but have no experience other than the occasional day hike.
All of those goals are important, otherwise they wouldn’t have made your list. The problem is you only have so much time and energy and you cannot do them all, at least not now. What’s the solution? You can’t push harder, work longer, or “learn to be more efficient.” That’s a fools errand, trust me, I’ve tried.
Instead, it’s all about balancing your focus.
Balanced Focus
It is so easy to overcommit. It seems like being aggressive and taking on a large laundry list is the right thing to do, but the problem comes when you stretch yourself too thin and end up half accomplishing 10 goals when you could have completed 4. One way to avoid overcommitting is by separating your goals into four main life categories.
Professional
Physical
Family
Spiritual
You have to balance your goals in each of these categories and not load too many into one area, ignoring the others. Be mindful to also not create too many goals. Keep it simple, one or two per category, work toward them, accomplish them, and set new goals.
Professional Goals
Professional goals are those related to your work life or business. If you work for a company, you are likely familiar with the goal setting process and spend time each year developing and setting goals. Professional goals are great, but they often lack one key component, linkages.
To maximize the utility of your goals you must link your goals to your department’s goals and your corporate goals. By doing so you are telling yourself and your boss that you understand how you impact and contribute to the success of the company.
The same goes for your small business. Link your goals to your vision and mission. Align them with your core values. Optimize them to accomplish what you need to do now so you can meet your long-term North Star. And if you need help understanding any of those things, each of the underlined key words links back to resources for you to set your vision, mission, core values, and North Star.
Physical Goals
An area I’ll admit I have been bad about the last three years. I used to work out 2 to 3 times a week, back when I had the time. Now I consciously “work out” as part of other activities. Often these are small modifications to activities I need to do anyway. Raking leaves instead of blowing. Mowing without the drive assist. Hand planing where I could have used a power tool.
I also double up by making family activities physical. Not only do I accomplish two goals in one, my kids get a workout too. Things like going for walks, playing tag, kicking a soccer ball, playing catch. We get to work out, practice skills, and spend time together.
Family Goals
Last day of fall soccer camp. Work can wait.
If you are like me, you probably work too much. You set goals in every aspect of your life except when it comes to family. I’m not talking about goals for your family, I’m talking about goals for you to focus your energy on your family. So set a goal. My wife and I set a goal to have family movie night at least once a month. Usually on a Friday evening, we’ll pick a kid friendly movie which the kids have never seen, pop a bag of popcorn, put our phones in a different room, and spend time together as a family.
Spiritual
To me, a spiritual goal is a goal for my soul. Doing something I enjoy, just for me. The problem with this category is it is the easiest to neglect. Something comes up and I cancel what I wanted to do. But that time is the most important time. Why?
This time, spent on you, is time letting you relax, freeing up that part of your brain currently occupied by stress so it can do what it’s meant to. Be creative.
I like to boulder, a form of rock climbing. I used to always climb with friends, but eventually I built up my confidence to go alone, and I’m glad I did. I still love climbing in a group, but the act of solo climbing, blasting some of your favorite music while you stay in your head. Concentrating completely on your body and it’s connection with the rock relaxes and rejuvenates me. I’m able to walk away calm, meditated, relaxed, and that’s when the best ideas hit me.
Don’t neglect yourself, set a goal to spend time on you and keep your promise.