Goal Setting

It’s still early in the year … I mean, some people are still on free trial for 2021, after the year that 2020 was, to make sure they’re really ready to sign up for this year and “adult”.

Whether you didn't set goals for the year because you didn’t want to, didn't know how, or just weren’t sure what goals you wanted to set … READ ON.

You should constantly be setting and achieving goals. You don’t have to wait for a new year, or even a new month, to set goals that you want to achieve. 

A goal is nothing more than a dream that’s been written down.

There’s multiple ways you can set goals … there’s not one “SMART” way … but there could be also be a “DUMB” way.

Let’s break it down …

SMART Goals v. DUMB Goals

Have you heard of SMART goals? What about DUMB goals? 

I’ve heard of SMART goals a lot more than DUMB goals. DUMB goals was something that I heard about first last year, listening to a podcast from Brendon Bruchard. 

But, SMART goals and DUMB goals are both acronyms … 

SMART goals are: Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Time specific.

• Specific: you have to be specific in goal setting about what you want to accomplish.

• Measurable: you have to be able to determine when you’ve achieved or met the goal.

• Achievable: you have to be able to actually achieve the goal that you’re setting.

• Realistic: your goal needs to make sense to what it is that you’re trying to accomplish.

• Time specific: your goals need a deadline for completion so there is a sense of urgency. 
  

Whereas DUMB goals are: Dream drive. Uplifting. Method friendly. Behavior driven.

• Dream driven: your goal that you set should be aligned with your vision for your life.

• Uplifting: your goals should inspire you, uplift you, and bring you joy.

• Method friendly: your goals should then create a habit that is built around mastering it.

• Behavior driven: your goals should have a triggering behavior in your daily life.

Which to Use?

There's been a suggestion to transition from the SMART goals to DUMB goals … So how do you know which you should do? 

When setting SMART goals, you have to be ready to ask yourselves the 5 W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. Answering each of these questions will help you to formulate your goals, to ensure that they have a greater meaning, and to ensure that you’re truly setting yourself up with the ability to achieve them.

They’ve begun to look down on SMART goals because it’s being said that SMART goals make us set goals that are too easy and too short term.

We don’t like to disappoint ourselves, I get it … so sometimes we limit ourselves and our potential by setting goals that don’t stretch us as much so that we don’t fail.

But really, if you look at DUMB goals, you still have to ask yourselves the same 5 W’s: the who, what, when, where, and why when setting the goals. You’re just looking at it from a different angle. DUMB goals are more big picture to your entire life, looking at your life purpose and life plan in setting the goals, and how they will benefit you in the long run.

Essentially, it comes down to short term versus long term goals if you really look at it … or at least that’s how I see it. 

SMART goals, because they are time oriented and have deadlines, tend to be more about the short term goals. 

In comparison, because DUMB goals are looking to mastery and your life purpose and like plan, tend to be more long term, and can’t be accomplished in a month or so. 

Really, that matters is you start setting goals … because if you're not setting them, it doesn't matter if they're SMART or DUMB … you have none!

MY SUGGESTION … do both! Use the DUMB goals strategy in order to set your long terms goals, your yearly goals, the goals that will get you to where you are truly living and walking in your life’s purpose. And then ... when you have those goals, use SMART goals to break them down into smaller, actionable steps.

This way, you get the best of both worlds … you stretch yourself to grow and become better, but you also have small checkpoints along the way that will keep you motivated into getting to the big goals because you can see that you’re accomplishing things along the way.

But, you’re not sure how to set goals … no problem,  I got you covered … 

Steps to Goals

• Get your mind/mindset in check

Your mind and your mindset is the first place to start, because if you don’t think and believe that you can set goals, that you should set goals, and that you will achieve your goals … you won’t!

Start each day feeding your mind with what you want your life to become … through affirmations, devotions, personal development books, and even podcasts. Feed your mind to grow your mind because what you think about, you become! 

You can take your life into your own hands … and you should!

• Come up with the top goals you want to achieve this year 

Generally, goals can be grouped into the 5 F’s: family, faith, fitness, finances, and fun. 

So, get to thinking of those areas and what it is that you want to have happen in those areas. 

Do a brain dump of all the things that you want to accomplish. 

Think of the order that you want to accomplish them in.

Do any goals build on each other?

So … What did you come up with?

• Post your goals where you can see them 

Goals aren’t a “set them and forget them” type thing! Because if you just write down your goals and don’t look at them again until the end of the year, at least, do you really think you’re going to accomplish them?!? 

That’s like if someone asks you in the beginning of the year to do something for them at the end of the year, but never reminds you or follows up with you … are you really going to remember?!? NOPE

So, don’t treat your goals the same way. These are things that are important to you and you say you want to accomplish, so put yourself in a position to see them.

Save your goals in your phone, make them your background, make a vision board and put it in a room that you go often, put sticky notes on your bathroom mirror, write them in your calendar … do whatever it is you have to do so that you’re constantly being reminded of your goals.

• Re-evaluate your goals 

Like I said, goals aren’t made to be a set and forget them. You have to re-evaluate your goals. Make sure that they are still your priority, make sure they are still in aligning with your priorities, and make sure that they are still something that you want to accomplish!

Just because you said something today … doesn’t mean that as the year goes on, it will still be something that is of vital importance to you later. So, you should check in on your goals each quarter, every 90 days. This not only helps to see where you are in achieving them but if you decide that it’s no longer a goal you want to achieve, you can take it off the list and put something else in its place.

This keeps the goals in focus and in check. These re-evaluation times are perfect for you figuring out where you want to go next on the goal list, and where you want to focus. 

• Believe in yourself 

I believe in you … do you believe in you?!?

You CAN achieve your goals! You WILL achieve your goals.

You were made to do great things … don’t let anyone keep you from believing that … and most importantly don’t let yourself keep you from believing that!

The dreams planted in your heart are there for you to step into your purpose. 

What's Next? 

Take some time to sit down and really think about your life, where you want to be, what you want to accomplish. Just start writing … write down everything that you can think of that you want to accomplish and want to do.

Now that you have all the things you want to accomplish, choose a method  (SMART or DUMB) … and get to setting your goals! 

What's the first goal you're setting?!? 

And if you're still not sure where to begin … you feel overwhelmed looking at the list … you just don't think you can do it still … reach out, let me help! 

The time is now … let's change your mindset, change your perspective, and change your life! 

Until next week …

Alesha 

The "Lee" behind Legal.Lee