Goal Setting at Glacial Speed
This time of year is a very positive time to freeze frame your past and forecast your future. Reflect back and look forward; was it a good year or not so good? What was the best thing about it? The worst thing? What would you like to accomplish next year? How would you like to feel a year from now?
It's a time for fresh starts and for setting goals. There are many approaches to goal setting and tracking from "SMART" goals to hiring a coach to using an app. Whatever works use it! One method that is very effective is the milestone method.
The Milestone Method
This approach guarantees something that Stephen Covey said, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
Broad - This step maintains the magic of the big picture approach. Use a dry erase board. Using coloured dry erase markers create a grid - horizontally chunking off the months and writing your goals under each month. Keep them big and broad - some may stretch over 6 months. If you would like to create and separate goal channels like work, pleasure, health, financial - list them down the left and continue to insert your goals under months. You can also use symbols or simple images to illustrate a goal - consider it a brain short cut.
Details - Milestones often work with your unconscious by naturally manifesting while other milestones will require more planning. You can use all kinds of other support tools to keep you on task. An app like www.teuxdeux.com is a an incredibly simple yet effective to do tool while a Google Calendar will allow you to share and collaborate with others that maybe involved in your goals while software like Microsoft Project can take you really deep. Choose the support tool that matches the requirements of the goal.
Adjust - If you overshoot or undershoot on your goal its easy to erase and adjust course with the dry board. While looking at your Milestones daily isn't necessary, checking biweekly or monthly will keep you on track. Before you know it, you'll find you have achieved your milestones so choose carefully.
Remember
Often your most meaningful goals happen at glacial speed. They are big but happen slowly. So when you are bogged down in the daily grind or in the nitty-gritty detail of getting to your goal, remember your goal is happening at glacial speed. The movement may seem small but the progress is massive.
