Goal Setting

I was talking with a client over lunch yesterday and we were discussing some of the goals she had and that they seemed unattainable. The more time we spent talking, the more I realized the problem wasn’t with her goals but with her goal setting abilities.


We all have “Goals”, but the truth is, that when analyzed, most of us only have dreams-- not goals. So what’s the difference? Simple really, a goal is a final outcome someone has planned. Yes Planned! If you have a goal without a plan then it is just a dream.

Over and over again I have interactions with people that think they are real goal oriented with a one year, five year, and ten year plan. But when I ask probing questions I find out they really only have dreams. Now this isn’t to say that dreams can’t come true, but if you want to achieve a goal you need a plan.

I can comment on a personal example to help clarify this thought. Since I was a young child watching the “Wide World of Sports” I always thought that a tri-athlete was the pinnacle example of strength and conditioning. I can remember thinking to myself, ’someday I want to compete in a triathlon’. That was a dream. About two years ago I made a personal goal to lose weight and get back into shape. I focused my goal on being able to compete in a triathlon and check off that bucket list item once and for all. I sat down and worked out a schedule of exercising, diet, and month by month weight loss goals. I then started walking, then biking & swimming, and eventually running. I just registered for my first triathlon, on October 16th. I also put together a more focused training schedule that included weight training, running, swimming, and biking daily, to prepare for this event. I will let everyone know how it all turns out but there is little chance I will not accomplish this “goal” unless I give up on it, because I have a goal, and an action plan to accomplish it.

Now that we understand the difference between a goal and a dream, let’s look into the next biggest problem with goal setting. Too many people put time limits on their goals. In many cases this can cause destructive behaviors, internal stress, and a reduced level of patience. You become so focused on falling behind that you end up abandoning your goal, or you start to let other things in your life become effected. Also, you can get so drawn into accomplishing that goal within a certain time frame, that you will miss other opportunities that can have a greater impact in your life than completing the original goal itself. Furthermore, things change. Outside influences may change that directly affect your ability to attain that goal. Therefore, your goal has to be a moving target, both in time and effort. There is nothing wrong with having an approximate time frame attached to a goal as long as you understand that the timeframe is not the driving factor, the goal itself is what should be important.

To summarize, when goal setting, you must have the duality of the goal itself and an action plan in place to achieve it. The action plan should be a detailed, step by step program, without time constraints. It should also be an adjustable plan to make room for changes due to outside influences.

You should treat each goal as you would a vacation. Before you go on a vacation, you check the weather, air fares, hotel prices, etc. You plan your route, budget expenses, and make allowances for the unexpected. Just like a vacation you want to plan the details of your goals. Focus on what needs to happen to obtain the goal and plan step by step activities to achieve the goal. Only once you have a comprehensive plan of baby steps can you start implementing the required efforts to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself.

Finally, if you take the time to put together a solid action plan, the only thing stopping you from achieving the goals you set forth is you. Stay focused-- but fluid, and there won’t be any goals you cannot achieve.