Setting goals doesn’t usually get you anywhere. I’ve seen this time and time again. People will set goals only to fall short. It seems as if you only ever get something done when someone else is breathing down your neck.
So, I want to change the paradigm. Here’s a 3-step process to achieve your goals.
Where are you heading?
This is the goal-setting. Most people do this already. It’s pretty simple.
How are you going to get there?
Despite only ever really stating our goal, the reality is that we’re going to spend a lot more time striving to reach our goal than celebrating the achievement.
This is the process of determining the process. It takes a while, but that makes sense. It’s easy to say where you want to go, but it’s far harder to determine how you’re going to get there.
Your answer should be specific but flexible. You should build it in uncertainty but also know what you’re going to do each day.
How do we know we’re getting there?
Measurement is essential. Not only is it important to have a metric to see if you’re heading in the right direction, but it’s also important to have to improve your processes.
Your “how” should change. It should adapt to the data you get. You should optimize it to be in a better place. This is how you do that. You measure, you adapt, and you move forward.
