UPDATE: Click here for a S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Worksheet

Today I want to talk about the goal setting procedure and how to use a goal setting worksheet for this purpose. I’ll cover all the basics, from goal statements and vision, to sub-goals and milestones, to action lists and priorities.

During this post I will be referring to these worksheets:

First, let’s start with the goal statement. This answers the question “what’s your goal?”, “what do you want to get done, obtain or achieve?” There are a few pointers to keep in mind though. Any goal statement should be done in the present tense and starting with the pronoun “I”. Also, the best goal statements are specific and clearly measurable. you want to include when and how you’re going to get your goal. If you can’t measure your progress, you’ll have trouble maintaining your drive and you might not even be able to know when you’ve achieved your goal.

Goal Statement Example

Next, you need to state your vision. This answers the question how will it look like when your goal gets done. When you write down your vision, the important part is to write with as much detail as possible with both visual and emotional cues. The purpose of the vision is to give you a long lasting impression of your goal as if it was achieved and how much happiness that brings you.

Vision Example

Then comes the purpose. This answers the BIG question, why do you want to achieve that goal? Take your time and come up with the best reasons that will push you, through pain and pleasure, to do your utmost efforts constantly and consistently to achieve that goal. Again, be as descriptive as possible and dig deep into the emotions that will move you forward towards your goal.

Purpose Example

These three parts, the goal, the vision and the purpose, form the foundation triad, the basic building block of every goal, big and small. There are other support exercises for bigger goals and projects, but you must have at least this triad to have a solid chance to achieve your goal.

For bigger goals, projects and areas of focus, some extra effort will go a long way. One of these extra tools is the use of Roles. Roles are one or two words labels that you use for yourself with regards to that goal or area of focus.

Roles Example

Another point you mustn’t forget when working towards a big goal or project is the many resources you have at your disposal. You can list as resources: people, materials (like books, tapes, etc), time, money and anything else of value that can help you towards achieving your goal.

Resources Example

One of my favorite auxiliary exercises for larger projects is the setting of Milestones. Mainly those for the next 90 days to 1 year. They are set much like regular goals, but the vision an purpose might be skipped altogether if they are the same as the main project ones. The idea behind this exercise is that it gives you clear and specific sub-steps towards the larger goal. Also, if the project or goal has several parts or objectives that need to be completed first, making them short term milestones is a great way of directing your focus. It might seem obvious, but I strongly urge you to record both the date when the milestone was set and the date by which it will be achieved.

Milestones Example

There is a similar exercise that can prove very useful for goals which require everyday focus and effort, like changing or setting habits. This is the Main Focus exercise. It requires you to select three areas in which you will put your main focus when working on this goal. These focus areas should be the core skills or the core actions that will help you achieve your goal. The key point is to keep these Main Focus Points in mind during the day, everyday.

Main Focus Example

Similar to the Milestones exercise. there is an exercise particularly useful for larger, complex projects or goals. The idea is to break down the main goal into as many sub-goals as necessary, in a similar fashion as the goal-vision-purpose triad. It is important to remember not to break down the main goal into too many sub-goals, as this makes the main goal seem overly complex. Not breaking it down enough, on the other side, makes each milestone too difficult and too long to achieve. Keeping it in balance is a fine art, but do not worry too much about it. It is something experience and time will help you master. As a second step, you need to decide which sub-goals are of vital importance, in other words “musts”, for the successful completion of the main goal. It is important for you to learn the difference between goals which when completed make the result better and goals which when not completed make the result impossible to achieve. One is an important sub-goal and the other one is a must.

Sub-Goals Example

One other exercise that works wonders for planning towards the achievement of any goal and even for day to day “to do” planning is the Actions List. Basically you just need to list the actions to be done and then prioritize, delegate and calculate the duration of these actions. The priority part is simple, borrowing from another system, you can prioritize them from A to C, from very important to not so important (makes little difference if it is done or not). D for an action you can delegate to others and E for an action that should be eliminated, for example when the outcome does not justify the time and resources expense. For the leverage part, you need to come up with a shorthand system to distinguish between the people you delegate your actions to, like AS for assistant, SB for subordinate, or abbreviation of their names. The duration part is very straightforward, the only advice is to give a little extra time for unexpected situations. Just keep in mind not to give too much extra time as this will distort your perception of your whole plan.

Actions List Example

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• The Action Machine