Archive for the ‘Visioning, Planning & Goals’ Category

We often set ourselves goals or resolutions at the beginning of the year both in our personal lives and in the work place to meet certain targets. However, how often do you take time out to reflect on how well you are doing, whether you are still on track or whether you need to take some drastic action?

In the business world you may have a half yearly review to check where you are, but often this is a cursory review. Nevertheless, by going through the process you still stop and think about where you are and what needs to happen for the rest of the year.

But do you do that in your personal life? Are you considering where you are in terms of your aims in life? Or have you given up on them this year?

Too often people get caught up in the “busyness” of life and drop their focus on their goals. This is a shame. If you keep putting off what you really want from life, what sort of life will it be?

Don’t lessen your dreams to fit in with your life. Up your effort to meet your dreams.

So what action needs to take place right now to get you back on track? And what will you do about it?

“And so this is Christmas, and what have you done
Another year over, a new one just begun.”    
John Lennon

Another year over and what have you done? Have you achieved all that you set out to do this year? Have you achieved more, or are there still some things that you haven’t finished…or even started?

What are your plans for 2010 – both personally and professionally?

Will you be back here this time next year still saying that things never change? Or will you be here celebrating your successes?

The choice, my friends, is yours.

The difference between a goal and a vision is that a goal is something we strive to achieve, push ourselves to do; whereas a vision is a beacon that we are drawn towards. So said Thomas J Leonard, the founder of CoachU and who many believe is the founder of the personal coaching profession.

So if this is the case, then why do we set ourselves goals? Indeed why do coaches encourage their clients to formulate and attain goals?

Well, it comes down to taking action.

For many, having a clear vision of the future is difficult to attain. We are so used to having a vision or direction given to us – by managers, parents, teachers etc. Or we are used to just taking a few steps at a time. For those who are not keen on change, any movement forward is challenging and taking those steps are only likely to happen when the pain of staying still is greater.

Setting goals – both short term and long term is about choosing a possible direction and taking steps along that path to see if it is the right direction for you. If achieving the goal does not give you the satisfaction and fulfilment you desire, or indeed, if you do not feel compelled to achieve your goals then maybe the path you are travelling is not yet your true path.

However, if you are totally committed to achieving your goals and it gives you a sense of purpose and fulfilment, you are likely to be on the right path. At some point the vision will become clear.

Once the vision is there, then it becomes the beacon for which to make all your decisions by, and as Thomas J Leonard would say, this is the time that you can stop living in the future and start to truly live in the present.