Write down my Goals, get stuffed!

There was a time in my life when goal setting came naturally, but then it was gone.  When I was young, setting a goal was a matter of thinking about achieving, and then setting out to achieve it.  I was moderately successful which I can attribute to this ability to set and work towards goals naturally.  Life was much simpler then.  I still had my worries and pressures, only looking back they were petty in comparison to today's stresses, and most of the aforementioned worries and pressures still exist.  Since then, responsibilities increased, disposable money decreased, and my mind began to clutter with the following;  paying bills, quarterly reviews, making lunches for the kids, cleaning the crumbs off the counter (my wife's favourite), flossing as well as brushing, checking my balls for lumps (men you gotta do this), and on and on and on.  I'm sure you get the picture.  Setting goals, once so natural and flowing, takes effort and concentration.  Write down my Goals you say, get stuffed...well maybe not!

My twenties proved to me that not setting out clear plans of action, reviewing them, and achieving them was easily done, with shitty results.  I did a lot of great things in my twenties- married my wonderful wife, started my family, bought a house, and travelled the world.  But there were areas where achievements flat lined.  Entering my thirties I really started to notice how my hunger to achieve had never left me, but my confidence to achieve was a shadow of its former self.

After a period of introspection, and a series of personal coaching sessions at my former employer, I started to make a few revelations.  Setting goals in my mind and following through on them had gotten harder to do with the added clutter and stresses of life.  In turn, this effected my confidence to succeed which lead to less goal setting, effecting my confidence (the circle begins, you get the point).

Guess what happened next?  I thought I'd make a change.  I wrote down a few goals, starting simply with physical goals.  I moved on to goals at work, goals with education, and so on.  I wrote them down, revisited them often, and behold...I started to achieve them.  Confidence began returning, goal setting increased, leading to confidence (again the circle begins, you're catching on fast!).  This was great!  What all those goal setting gurus were trying to tell me all along was correct.  You need to write down your goals.

I am now a firm believer.  Writing down goals for me takes many forms.  Sometimes it's in my diary, sometimes on any paper that happens to be around.   Some are very specific, some are a bit more vague (against what many say).  I've even made a goal list of things I want to achieve this year, written in this blog 35 things to do at 35.  I'm getting these things done too.  It helps that they are written here for all to see, and in an easy format for me to review every time I open this blog.  This reminds me, I better get working on #30.  Kids are now up and out of bed.  Time for a good laugh!

Set goals people, and write them down.  I am sure you will be pleased with the results!

Here's a good place to start if you want to know a bit more about setting goals.  I've been reading The Success Principles by Jack Cranfield.  There is a lot of useful information goal setting.  If you are so inclined, this book and Jack's website is worth having a look at.  Enjoy!