Before you dive into my blog, take a moment or two and think about what the definition of “Goal-Setting” is. What does it mean to you? To many, including me, it has many distinct meanings. According to businessdictionary.com, goal-setting is defined as:
“A motivational technique based on the concept that the practice of setting specific goals enhances performance and that setting difficult goals results in higher performance than setting easier goals.”
Statistics
A Harvard Business Study revealed remarkable statistics relating to goal-setting and success:
- 85% of the population does NOT have goals
- 14% have a plan in mind, but unwritten goals
- 3% have goals written down
The study also found that the 14% who have goals are 10x MORE successful than those without goals. The 3% with written goals are 3X MORE successful than the 14% with unwritten goals.
These are astounding statistics. Two weeks ago, I genuinely thought I was in the 3% because I had written down my goals. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
Rewind
These stats bring me back to the beginning of this blog, when I asked you to define goal-setting. When I sat down with my boss for a much-needed progress meeting, I thought I had my goals in my planner written out correctly and I was on the right track.
Nope! Not even close! When Robin saw my goals, I could tell she was getting ready to tell me everything that was wrong with what I’d written. I was ready for the much-needed kick in the ass – and I absolutely needed one.
My goal is to become a Team Leader at SCP Agency. It’s something I’ve wanted for a few months now, but I didn’t have my goals properly written out and I had no target date. So, over the next hour, I took in Robin’s every word. She helped me align my goals with where I need to be in 90 days. Now I know what I have to do.
Step-by-Step
I want to share some goal planning tips I learned from my meeting:
- This is the most important tip of all: if you don’t know whether the goals you’ve written down are right for what you’re trying to achieve, ASK FOR HELP. Don’t wait, or it may be too late! I would have much further along if I’d just asked for help when I realized I wanted to be a Team Leader.
- Be descriptive in your goal-setting. Don’t just write down a couple of words and leave it at that. If you take the time to describe your goals in detail, you’ll have a better chance of actually reaching them.
- Set goals you know you’ll be able to obtain in the time you’ve set for yourself.
Set an end date for your goal. For example, my end date is June 16. Having an end date will hold you accountable, and you’ll more able to plan every step of the way. - Track your progress daily, weekly and monthly. This, too, will keep you more accountable. You’ll know exactly where you are, as opposed to playing the old guessing game.
- Don’t be afraid to make necessary adjustments to reach your goal. Life happens. For me, a huge move over the past 3 weeks forced me to adjust my goals. Now that our move is over (except the dreaded unpacking) I can put more focus and time towards my
goal. - Ask for someone to help you stay on track and keep you accountable. It’s easy to lose focus, so it’s always nice to have someone who will check on you once a week and make sure you’re on track.
What are your thoughts on goal-setting? Are you working toward certain goals? I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment below.
Pamela Patton is a Project Manager for Social Climber Pro.
She specializes in Email Marketing, Project Management, and Social Media Marketing. She loves the excitement of the Social Media Marketing Industry and helping her clients build their businesses.
