Let’s Make Goal Setting More Fun
To get what you desire in life, you must do goal setting. Goal setting is just a grown-up way to describe what it is that your imagination wants to create and manifest into reality. However, too often, when we engage in the goal-setting process we’re expected to do it in rather unimaginative ways. No offense to my friends who adore creating Excel spreadsheets, but, that’s boring to me. It’s so … “corporate” is the best word I can think of.
For many people, it’s hard to get excited about setting goals. They are either not good at it (and simply need instruction) or they’ve been conditioned to dislike the process entirely. Many of us who have had to turn in goals to our managers have been conditioned to think of goal setting as an unpleasant experience. Maybe it’s even a painful experience because of failures associated with past goals not being met and the punitive consequences that followed.
In the programs I deliver to everyone, whether aspiring business leaders, young adults trying to find their way beyond school, seekers of their purpose in life or experienced professionals looking for jobs, I aim to inspire people to dive into goal achieving with enthusiasm. How? By making it more fun.
Here are 3 fun techniques that I recommend and use frequently:
1. Compose fill-in the-blank, “Mad Lib” type affirmation statements that envision what it will be like in the future once the goal is achieved. This can really tickle your inner child, especially if you hit on all of your senses and use descriptive, colorful words. For example: When I accomplish this _____ goal, I will see _____. My friends will be saying _____ when we _____ together. I will feel _____ when I finish the _____…
2. Another affirmation style format that’s fun to do is very visual yet uses words, too. At the center of a piece of paper, write “I am” and then complete the thought with affirmative statements. Use different colored pencils, markers or crayons for each statement. Your statements should radiate out from the center, forming the rays of a starburst on the page. Make these statements as descriptive as possible. “I am attracting and working with ideal clients who value my contribution, both virtually and literally, who are cooperative and fun to interact with.”
3. Creating a vision board has always been a great method of goal setting, and it was made very popular when “The Secret” movie and book came out in 2006. On a surface such as a wall, a bulletin board, a poster, the back of a door, your refrigerator, etc. arrange images that either accurately portray or symbolically represent what you desire. If you want a particular make, model and color of a car, then post this on your vision board. If you desire a positive, healthy relationship with a loved one, find an image that represents that to you and add that to the board.
We’ve all got creative ability which we use unconsciously all the time. But, when it’s time to consciously get creative and get goals achieved… let’s not think of it as drudgery. Let’s make goal setting more fun!
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Angela Loëb helps people rediscover and use their gifts so they can bring who they are to what they do. To learn more, please visit:www.insyncresources.com
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