5 posts tagged “goals”

Last time we talked about goals -- specific steps on the path.  Now, we'll talk about dreams -- the bigger picture.  Having your dream clearly in mind makes it easier to set goals.  Sometimes it's hard to see where you want to go, though.  Is it hard for you to imagine where you want to be 5 or 10 years from now when you're struggling with the realities of studying for tests, paying bills, taking care of family, and fitting in time for fun?

Here's one technique for finding your passion:

Imagine yourself on a desert island for 3 months.  This is a twist on the usual scenario -- it's a pampered vacation, not an isolated shipwreck/deathwatch.  You will be cut off from your immediate friends, family, job, life, etc. -- but you won't be completely alone.  The purpose of your elite vacation will be a 3-month intensive training period with a world-renowned coach of your choice.  If you follow the passion of your heart, what would you choose to do for the 3 months?  At the end of the 3 months, you will have received the best training available, and, if you possess the requisite skills, your personal coach will give you a glowing recommendation. 

Have you always wanted to learn to paint?  Would you follow your dream of learning a new language to enhance your career skills?  How about developing an area of talent/skill you currently enjoy and making it a core strength for you?  What is your passion? 

Keep in mind that the key ingredient to success here is passion.  Passion is the fuel that will take you places.  Passion can also be self-generating -- when you start to run down, passion rebuilds itself for the journey.  Skill is necessary, too, but passion for an area can be applied in so many ways.

For example, I love dance.  There is something about the music, the expression of the soul and spirit through the movement of the body, through subtle steps and gestures, that inspires me and exhilarates me.  I'm a fairly good dancer since I studied dance for a number of years when I was young.  I learn new steps quickly and can innovate.  I enjoy choreographing dance and have a feel for music.  I do not, however, have what it takes to be a professional dancer or to be a dance teacher.  My strengths are in the area of communications -- speaking, writing, web publishing.  If I chose to translate my love of dance into a career, I could draw on my knowledge of cultures and communications and do public relations or marketing for a dance company.   There are many tangential areas I could explore that would tie in my passion with my skill sets.  I know my passions and strengths, but I also know my limitations.  This is key!  For me, though, dance is my leisure pursuit, not my career dream.

I encourage you to take time and space to explore your passions in a way that makes sense to you.  Discover your dreams (try Hallie Crawford's "Vision Board" approach) and contemplate how you might live them.  A lived dream is a soul set free; an unlived dream is a caged spirit.  If you're ready dive into the deep end of exploration, try Quint Careers' tutorial on Career Passion. 
 

Let's start with goals!  You have some.  Everyone does.  Question is . . . do you know what they are?  Maybe you can't quite rattle off your 5-year plan, but you probably know full well the difference between what you want to do and what you don't want to do.  Preference?  Yes, partially.  But, embedded within, you probably have some goals that need to be brought to light. 

How do you do this?

Goal setting is actually a process of constant refinement as new experiences and information are processed, not a matter of writing goals down and saying, "Well, there, I'm good now for the long haul."  So, if you haven't revisited your goals lately, it's time to do that.  You're saying, "But, I don't know what I want ... yet.  I don't know what my goals are!"  Then I'll bet one of your goals is self-exploration and discovery of your path; at least, that's a good place to start.

Setting Goals
Setting goals can seem intimidating, like writing on a blank page or painting on a fresh canvas.  Here are some tips:
* Brainstorm -- make a list of possibilities that occur, that come from your heart; don't rule any out yet -- winnow later
* Aggregate -- can you group possibilities into categories? do you see patterns or directions?
* Separate -- consider short-term versus long-term goals, realistic goals given resources at hand, and reasonable/viable action plans for a core set of goals that will be your primary focus
* Implement -- write down your action plan for the core goals (and find a goal partner, if possible) including what you want to accomplish, timeline, details, and outcomes
* Clarify -- take a holistic look to see that your core goals will keep you on track and fit in with your lifestyle, your values, and your personal dreams
* Change -- revisit, refine, and revise your goal plan as necessary to align your goals with your dreams and to maintain a balance between head and heart and happy living

This BASICC approach makes it sound so simple, right?  It isn't; I know that.  If it were that simple, I'd be done with my PhD and doing my own research.  Goal-setting is a complex process because we are complex creatures, so I am still working at my studies and trying to set my own goals for when I finish my degree. 

For another template or approach to goal-setting, take a look at Success From the Nest.  It can also help to work backwards from dreams to goals.  Look at the big picture (the dreams) and try to figure out how you get there (the goals).  Think of your goals as your car and map your route to your destination.  We'll talk more about this topic next time!  For now, start thinking about your goals and how they will help you reach your dreams.

First of all, I apologize for the long hiatus . . .  I took a little break after the spring semester and did a little traveling and a little teaching (and not so much resting). 

Secondly, I have focused a lot on career tips, the pragmatic aspects of career opportunities, so I am going to shift for a while into the more nebulous arena of creatively cultivating career directions.  What is that, you ask?

Let's start with dreams.  I don't mean the psychoanalysis of dreams, their interpretations and meanings.  I mean dreams for the future -- hopes, aspirations, big goals.  Eventually we'll talk about goals and goal-setting, but we have to start with dreams.

I have a dream . . . of finishing my PhD and doing something fabulous with it.  I'm not sure what that "something fabulous" is quite yet.  I have a goal of finishing up sometime this decade.  I need to hurry; time is running out on that!  The dream is the bigger picture, the goal is detail of the picture.  Cast another way, according to the Teaching Moments blog, you shoot an arrow (goal) at a target (dream).

I like to think of it in terms of a journey: you have the destination (dream) and the vehicle (goals).  Both are equally important.  Why own a car if you don't have any place to go?  Conversely, if you have some place you want/need to reach, you need a way to get there -- just wishing yourself there or clicking your heels three times isn't likely to work!

So, what kind of car do you want to drive?  By this, I mean in the realm of opportunities and possibilities, in career and personal pathways --

* Sports car:  You want the fast track. You like to accelerate from 0-90 in a heartbeat. You want to stand out from the crowd with your style and features, get noticed, be envied. You are in a top-tier price group.

* Compact car:  You are efficient and effective; you get the job done. You can be just a loaded as features as the next car, but your emphasis is more on pragmatics. You may not get noticed for your extra features or flair, but you bring things in under budget.  You're great at going the distance.

* Hybrid car:  In today's world, you're a mix of the practical and the possibilities, down to earth and head in the clouds.  You have style, but you're sensible about it and you're looking for the best solutions for everyone.  You're globally-focused and team-oriented.

* Concept car:  You are the future, baby!  The world is in your hands, and you are ready to run with your ideas -- as soon as someone gives you the company charge card.  You are a visionary and a decision maker.  You take risks and lead others.  You are bold and people notice you and know who you are.

* Minivan:  You always have a lot of people around, and you have a unique way of providing the help that people need when they need it.  You can take charge, if necessary, but you probably prefer to be part of the support team.  You're very organized, detail-oriented, and you like the add-ons in life.  Your family values shine through and are at the heart of your aspirations.

* Pickup Truck:  You're practical and hands-on.  You like to be involved in making the details happen, not just planning them out, and you take initiative.  You're usually traditional, conservative, and a problem-solver.  People come to you to fix things -- and you do. 

Now, not everyone fits perfectly into the above categories.  Some people see themselves in more than one.  Some people may not quite see themselves (but can picture themselves as a different type of car).  You get the idea, though.  Your personality, your work style, your approach to life and values -- all of that influences how you work out your goals.  If you don't have the right type of car (goals) to get where you're going (dreams), now might be the time for a change!

Do you remember playing "Follow the Leader" when you were a child?  Were you the person who always wanted to be the leader and think up unusual, exciting, strange routes to take?  Were you the person right behind the leader, gamely trying to keep up with all the twists and turns, setting a good example for everyone behind?  Or were you the caboose, slogging along at the end of the line, possibly unenthusiastically, wondering where in the world you were going?

Who are you today -- in terms of leadership?  Who do you want to be?

I'm inspired by leaders who lead from beside -- and I'm privileged to hang out with several model leaders, each exemplifying different qualities of leadership.  One of my models is the quintessential cheerleader: vivacious, actively seeking knowledge in new areas, sharing learning with others and bringing them into the leadership fold.  She's not afraid to try new things -- and fail.  She teaches that we learn from our mistakes.  She asks questions about how she can improve -- with a sincere desire to know the answer.  Another leader I highly esteem is warm and caring, truly relational.  She reaches out as a way of building partnerships, empowering others, and fostering a sense of community.  She leads through unwavering encouragement and dedication to the mission.  My third model is a wise leader, a mentor who teaches, guides, and corrects when necessary.  He is the creative genius who inspires and provides the tools for those around him to architect their own imaginariums of possibility.

I've learned that to be a leader is messy, dangerous, dirty work -- but ultimately rewarding if you enjoy changing lives (especially your own).  You need to be willing to roll up your sleeves alongside those you lead -- if you don't know what goes on at the bottom, it's hard to make decisions at the top.  You need to be willing to take risks, take a tumble, pick yourself up and get back in the game when your plans don't work out. 

Leaders don't sit in fancy leather chairs behind a gorgeous mahogany desk sipping martinis and having daily chair massages while administrative assistants hold their calls.  Leaders are on the front lines, in the thick of the action, looping the group through the monkey bars, up the slide, and on their bellies underneath a climbing structure -- and through it all, they have a plan in mind, crystal clear. 

What's your plan?  Who are you leading?  

As a literature person and book lover, I am particularly drawn to fairy tales, in part for their romance, in part for their connection to childhood, in part for their reflection of the themes of life.  My alter ego is Modern Cinderella (unique name = readercheerleader at MySpace), based on the notion that unlike fairytale Cinderella who was a rags-to-riches gal waiting for her fairy godmother, a troupe of sewing mice, and a charming prince to better her lot, I am a born princess in charge of my own destiny and fortune.  Like the fairy tale characters, I have my frog kissing days where I seemingly hop from lily pad to lily pad, kissing frogs to find the right one, looking for the best path.  Ultimately, though, I am not staying in the middle of the pond, splashing around, sunbathing, waiting for my prince charming to rescue me from the mud and muck of life.  I am constantly moving forward -- or, at least, moving somewhere -- on the journey, exploring, learning, and uncovering new aspects of my identity.  I am, after all, a modern Cinderella who needs no pumpkin carriage, no fancy escort, no partner for the dance.  I can just show up and get out on the floor.  That is where life is lived.

What is your fairy tale and how will you live it?  Your fairy tale is yours to write -- start today.  Be bold, be courageous, try a new path.  Take matters into your own hands, slay the dragons that scare you, melt the witches, unlock the mystery doors.  What do you have to lose?  Find an ending!  The ending will lead you to tomorrow . . . and a new discovery of self and your future.

Which fairy tale character are you?  What is your dream?  What is your story?  Tell me.