GOALS : Emotion ladden or strategic shift

Hello #qc, I am excited to present my entry for this week's #148 prompt on Goals to you.

Source AI assisted

Goals can be long-term or short-term. They are clear roadmaps set by individuals, groups or organisations to give direction. Goals help us to stay focused on our purpose. It is the energy with which we measure our progress. Through Goal setting, we become a better version of ourselves.

A goal is the “WHY” behind any venture. The reason for that journey, that firm, that meeting, etc. Every year, organisations attend retreats to take a detailed overview of the company's performance. There, a profit and loss balance sheet is read out and the staff are acquainted with their performances vis-à-vis their Key Performance Indicators (KPI). These KPI’s are seen as set goals for employees. It keeps employees on track and measures their progress in meeting set organisational goals and objectives. This is also obtainable in individual set Goals.
Setting a goal is the first step; the major task is staying focused and committed to the goal. Some people lose interest and focus after setting a goal because the set goal does not align with their purpose. This happens when there are no checklists and KPI to measure progress and keep track of achievements.

Therefore, to stay committed to goals, I ensure that the goals must be SMART:
 Specific: this is where the “why” and “what” come in. I table and discuss my goal here.
 Measurable: I use tools like checklists or KPI to measure and track my progress. I do a progress report to track achievements.
 Achievable: It is not advisable to set ambiguous goals. It will only lead to failure. So I set goals that are within my limits. For example, setting a goal to build an estate within a year when the resources are not available is an ambiguous goal. It can only lead to frustration, a failed project and a dead-on-arrival goal. Therefore, I make sure that I set achievable goals to remain committed and on track.
 Relevant: I set goals that are important and add meaning to my life or career. It is advisable that organisations or individuals set goals that align with their values and purpose of existence.
 Time-bound: I set a specific date to accomplish my set goal. This helps me remain focused by using the established checklist to track progress and measure achievements.

Using the SMART roadmap has assisted me in staying focused on my goal. It helps in turning vague missions into actionable plans, increasing my chance of staying committed to the set goal and achieving success.

Depending on the type of goal set by an individual or organisation, whether long-term or short-term, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual reviews are important. They help to track progress and measure success.

No pain, no gain, hence when I am not motivated towards my goal, commitment and determination keep me going. Furthermore, I share my goals with my close friends and mentors. I reach out to them for guidance. They also serve as my morale booster when I'm low on motivation. They help keep me in check and keep tabs on me. Some goals might be wrong and meaningless. My friends and mentors reassess my set goals and ensure they would add value and meaning to me.

Lastly, to stay motivated, I practice self-love, flexibility and am open to good suggestions, adjusting the mission where necessary.

Conclusively, goal setting requires a SMART framework to build a strong foundation on which resilience, commitment, passion, alignment of values and doggedness are needed to achieve success irrespective of the challenges.

#Hivians, do you think that goals driven by the SMART framework can truly lead to the finish line? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.