There are a million articles out there online about how to make and set goals. I’ve probably read most of them because in the most honest way possible I wantttttt to be a “goal” oriented person. I want to use the SMART goals system and write a blog post at the end of the year on how successful the year was. I want to be one of those people who’s SO SUCCESSFUL I hold workshops that people attend just to learn how amazing at getting stuff done I am.
The reality is that I’m not one of those people. I can be extremely lazy, unmotivated, and procrastinate-y (that should totally be a word). But like I once heard, it’s better to minimize the bad things you are and maximize the good things you are, but don’t try to flat out ignore the bad things because they’re a part of who you are, whether or not you recognize it. So here’s how I recognize my lazy-flaws and attempt to correct them while still getting things done.
Note: I hesitate to use the word “goals” because it’s such a nebulous term. Basically all the things I want to do I view as long-term large projects (vs. long-term to-do’s)
Here’s how I (lazily) approach the whole process:
- Identify areas of my life that could use improvement or that I want to accomplish something in. Write them all down. //
My (actual) categories are: Financial, Physical, Relationships, Career, Business, Personal (aka Misc.) - Within those categories, write down specific things I want to achieve in a 5 year and 1 year period. //
For example, in my Business category, my 5 year goal is to make X amount of dollars. My one year goals are to finish my comprehensive “Master Plan” to-do list, make a final iteration of my website and launch it, and make X amount of dollars - For each of those things, put actionable items on my calendar to get me closer to achieving the 1-year goals. //
Going with the same example, my “Master Plan” to-do list is over 20 pages long of checklist items (it’s exhaustive but it’s literally every single nitty-gritty detail of what I need to do for my business from A-to-Z). I’ve broken it down into single items or chunks and plotted a few on my calendar (like by the end of the week I’m going to perfect and finalize my “quick and dirty” business plan.
That’s it. That’s how I map out the things I want to do in life!
P.S. If you’re interested in the SMART way of setting goals, here’s a fun drawing explaining the acronym. And if I were less lazy, I would totally commit to this system.
