Goal setting and planning: Creating a weekly rhythm and avoiding pitfalls

There are so many things not in our control right now: a big crazy virus; economic instability; and the question of when we can safely gather socially again. 

But each week, we have the opportunity to plan, execute and work towards things that will feed our future, foster our creative beings or champion ourselves. Health goals, personal goals, work goals or just skills development - I believe everyone can find more focus in an area relevant to them. 

By planning and working towards these things, we can reduce any ‘out of control’ anxiety and start to deeply trust that we have agency over our own lives, even in such times of uncertainty - a mindset that feels crucial to our mental wellbeing right now. 

Why I want to set goals together

I love planning and goal setting. I’ve researched and developed myself with techniques over the years. I know planning my daily goals are crucial to my productivity, I know weekly goals help me reduce any worry of trying to do too much in a day, and monthly health goals I find are a powerful tool for lasting change (they break the 21 habit formation threshold).

As I’ve honed my own goal setting processes, I started to share things with others. I’d help my friends shape up goal statements for more clarity and gently give peers a little accountability to help others follow through. Then I started facilitating goal-setting workshops for organisations and I loved them. 

And my enjoyment for this lives on. So much so that I’ve decided to experiment with a free group goal setting and planning hour each Sunday for the month of June (well starting formally on the 31st May).

Register for the Sunday Group Planning Hour here.

If you’re wondering if this might benefit you, see if you identify with any of the following issues I see with goal setting... 

1) It doesn’t consistently happen

Much of the time we just don’t get around to doing it properly. And we fall into the week on Monday just taking what comes. Or having other people's priorities take precedence over our own. Maybe we do plan a bit, but it’s a bit haphazard and isn’t a regular habit. Maybe we plan our work like a ninja, but our hobbies and health goals don’t get a look in. 

Without effectively laying out your goals and intentions in advance, you can’t fight distractions very well, simply because you aren’t clear what they’re distracting you from!

2) Not being clear on outcome vs. process goals

Often, we can muddle outcome goals we can’t fully control and process goals that we can, whilst also being a bit vague. Increasing exercise is an example of vagueness. Hitting our sales target of 1 million is something we might not be able to fully control given an economic situation, but taking the action to set up 100 meetings we can.  

It’s really important to break your goals down into layers and be clear on what you can definitely achieve, versus what you are hoping to happen as a result (the outcome). 

3) We have too many goals and lose focus

If in one week, we want to quit coffee, exercise five times a week, make sure we clear our inbox to zero every day AND finish off three work projects, there’s a good chance we’ll glide through the week and forget half of it. It’s just too much. 

Powerful goal setting is often a case of removing and simplifying. What can go on the back burner? How can we keep more of a laser focus and make attainment feel smoother. What’s really the most important thing?

4) Not syncing goals with existing commitment and plans

Often we don’t estimate the time things will take us and aren’t realistic with what else we need to juggle. Sometimes we just set a load of goals and priorities, hoping for the best that by writing down the goals, it will all just magically fit in. 

We need to look at our diary and our commitments and consider the opportunity cost that one goal has on another or what its impacts are on existing activities (childcare anyone?!). With this upfront honesty, we have a much better chance of finding the appropriate balance of realistic vs. stretching with conscious awareness.

So who is this planning hour open to?

• Employees who are conscious they want to add more value to their jobs and plan strategically how to do so (outside of their regular responsibilities). 

• Freelancers or business owners who want to plan and set goals with a more regular ritual and community.

• Those on furlough who are working on other projects and goals

• Those who are looking for employment and job seeking

• People who want to intentionally focus on fitness, self-care or hobbies a bit more

• Anyone else with some intention around something! 

Most of all, I hope this reaches those that are feeling a bit out of control, anxious, and scattered during the week. 

Examples of areas that could be worked on:

• Progressing work projects or self-initiated organisational initiatives

• Working on a plan to add more value within a role

• Setting clear goals around job hunting or skill-building

• Developing hobbies or setting goals around creative projects

• Activity to launch a side-hustle or a business

• Health, fitness, healthy eating and emotional well being habits

Finally, I want to use the power of people, some fun and a place

Peer accountability is incredibly powerful. Showing up for something regularly builds your confidence in yourself. This hour taps into the power of structure, habit, accountability, and camaraderie to get you organised and having plans for yourself. And I’ll try to make it fun too. 

Will you join in? Sunday Group Planning Hour