Every year we set goals that this year will be the year we achieve that New Years resolution. This year I’ll be tidier, more organised, I’ll lose weight or eat healthier. How many times have you actually achieved these New Years resolutions? For many of us, the answer is “never”, and the excuse always seems to be because something came up or interest faded away within a couple of months.
The problem is that we expect these New Year resolutions to be achieved overnight. And maybe you can exercise more or eat better, but how long will it be until you have some late nights and early mornings and you start getting takeaway for lunch again?
What you need are goals rather than resolutions. Goals are gradual and help you to form habits over time, rather than just hoping they’ll appear out of nowhere.
And that’s just for personal resolutions; work resolutions tend to fall flat so much faster. Having goals, however, has so many benefits beyond simply achieving them.
So, here’s a handy guide for setting your goals – and keeping to them!
The benefits of work goals
Research has shown that goal setting can boost your attitude and personality at work to become someone who succeeds. Rick McDaniel, the author of 5 Habits of Healthy People, says “Goal setters are comfortable with risk, prefer innovation and are energised by change.” These traits are becoming increasingly important in the modern workplace.
More than this, settings goals and sticking to them has been linked with a boost in self-confidence, motivation and autonomy (Locke & Lathan, 2006). So, if it’s a promotion you’re aiming for this year, it’s time to set yourself goals that will get you there.
The benefits of work goals
It’s one thing to set a goal but another to follow through.
- The first step is to make sure your goal is realistic for the timeframe you want. You need to either have the skills, or factor in that you’ll need to develop the skills to achieve your goal. You really need to be specific about how the outcome looks and when you want to get there. If you aren’t sure exactly what you’re actually aiming for, you’ll lose motivation for an open-ended goal and you won’t be able to outline the steps you need to get to the end point.
- Once you have constructed a realistic goal, you need to work out how you will achieve it. For a successful goal, you need an action plan to go alongside it. These subtasks should start off simply and develop into the trickier tasks as you near your goal. This allows you to form habits for lasting change.
- Finally, don’t despair. Hiccups always happen in this crazy thing we call life. Rather than give up or stop working on your goal, be a bit flexible. You may have envisioned a single path of stepping stones, but the reality is that you may need a few side steps to get you to the end. Besides, it isn’t all about the goal but the journey that gets you there. If you spend the entire time stressing out, the goal may not be worth it in the end.
Using this format for setting up your goals will greatly help in a team-based goal. You can always give staff tasks to complete and they can dive in blindly, but they will work more efficiently and produce better outcomes if they can see the goal they are working towards. You’ll also avoid productivity slumps if they can see their task or goal is achievable.
Write down your goals
A 2015 psychology study found that people who write their goals down in a journal or diary rather than simply formulating them in their heads are 33% more likely to reach them.
Don’t spend your time fantasising
Fantasising about the outcomes of your goal actually tricks your brain into thinking you’ve already achieved it. This will only demotivate you and slow your process or stop it completely.
