Effective Goal-Setting
When you have goals you want to achieve, it’s crucial that you follow effective strategies to ensure you achieve your objectives. You need to define exactly what it is you want, how you’re going to get it and the date you’ll have achieved it by. Often goals can be large, so chunking them down into smaller bites helps maintain motivation and momentum without feeling overwhelmed.
Achieving some goals can make significant changes to your life and you’ll also need to consider what these changes may mean. Sometimes, achieving a goal can mean some loss, too. For example, if you have a financial goal, people can be jealous and you could lose friends; work may need to take priority which could have a difficult or negative impact on your relationship or family life.
Achieving goals may not always have a positive outcome for you, so it’s important to look at all the possible consequences and outcomes before making changes.
One tool you can use to do this is ‘The Well-Formed Outcome’ – a list of questions you go through to ensure you fully understand and desire to achieve the goal you have established.
To show you how it works, here’s the list with answers from someone who was thinking about promotion at work
Well-Formed Outcome & Example
• State the goal or desired outcome positively
To achieve a grade 5 pay rise
• Is it specific or could you define it more, is it measurable?
Yes
• Can you achieve it by yourself?
Yes but I would like help from my manager too
• Is the goal positive and ethical to benefit you or others around you, ie does it have a positive intention?
Yes it will benefit me and my family
• How will you know when you have it? How will you feel?
I will feel I have achieved something I worked hard for and be very happy
• Why don’t you have it now? Has anything stopped you?
haven’t had enough experience in the past but feel I am ready now. Perhaps I also needed the confidence to apply
• How big a goal is it? Do you need to break it up into smaller goals?
I need to pass the exam first and then apply for the grading, so 2 smaller goals are required
• What are all the steps you need to take?
Study for my exam in June 07
Pass the exam
Speak to my manager and tell her I want to apply for the grading
Ask for her help, support and recommendation
Apply for the grading
Get an interview
Pass the interview
Get the grading and pay rise
• When will you take the first step?
Today, I will email to register for the exam in June 07
• When will you complete it all?
I will have completed all the other steps by Dec 07
• Are there any other ways to get it?
If I don’t pass the exam I can re-sit it in Sept 07 but if I fail that I will have to wait until June 08. There is no way to get the promotion without passing the exam
• What resources do you currently have? (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, financial, knowledge, skills, assistance etc)
I have support from my partner and the time to study, the desire and determination to achieve it
• What resources will you need?
I will need the agreement and support of my line manager
• What will you need to give up to have it? How will it effect you (friends, work, relationships, lifestyle etc)
I will have to give up my weekends to study which is time with my friends and family ie my social time
• What will happen if you don’t get it? How will you feel?
If I don’t get it I will keep trying until I do, I will feel disappointed
• What will happen if you do get it? How will you feel?
I will have better future prospects and more money coming in each month so we can have a holiday away and more treats. I will feel fantastic and proud of myself
• If you don’t get it, will you lose out on anything?
If I don’t get it I will lose out on the money but also feel disappointed. I won’t feel that I have achieved my goal and taken control of my life
• If you do get it, will you lose out anything?
I won’t lose out on anything
• What will having it give to you? For what purpose do you want it?
I want it for my achievement, better prospects and more financial security
• Will achieving this goal enhance your life and/or others around you?
Yes mine and my family
• Is it a worthwhile goal to aim to achieve? Do you still want to achieve this goal?
Yes it is worthwhile and I am going to do it
Once you’ve answered all these questions, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what your goal is and how or whether you want to achieve it. Remember, you can change goals or even decide to replace them with something else at any time.
Now you need to write your objectives down, step-by-step with timescales to map out your chosen path and outcome. Happy goal-setting!