Archive for July 21st, 2009

Posted on July 21, 2009 - by Jus

104 | Goal Setting

I thought my class about Goal Setting was going to be pretty straight forward, probably because I’ve never really found that I have any problems in setting goals for myself, or my determination to achieve them.  However it was a really great class, mostly due to my new favourite ICA Trainer – Michael Moniz.  This guy has such an incredible energy and such a brilliant way about him, he brings a lightness to his Life Coaching when it can be so very easy to get all heavy when it comes to exploring issues of goal setting or barriers to achieving these goals.

So why was my goal setting class so great?  Well I learned a few things… specifically:

a) how to work with someone whose goal is to work out their goals…!
b) how to spot an overachiever, a goal-setting master who may not be as masterful at moving into action towards those goals… and how to have that conversation with them.
c) how to work with someone that is incredibly lost and apathetic about everything
d) how to help a client create goals that are aligned to their personal values, and how this inspires and motivates them more.

One of the things I loved about Michael was the way he explained his method of deflecting that loaded question “what do you think I should do?” or “what would you do in this situation?”… because a life coach’s role is not to offer advice, or even situational guidance or their personal opinion, a great life coach will help the client to arrive at their own conclusion.

We’ve all grown up with the SMART rule of setting goals, but recently I undertook an exercise as part of a magazine I read regularly called Empower.  In their goal setting tool, they explore this method of goal setting:

I found this to be really helpful (in addition to SMART of course) because what it builds for you is a goal that might look something like this:

It is the 31st of October 2009 and I feel so proud.  I am vegetarian and attending the gym twice a week.  I am seeing at least one friend socially once per week.  I have completed a quarter of my life coaching course. I feel inspired and healthy.  Because when I am happier in myself, I am happier in my relationship.

Isn’t that powerful?  And empowering!!

So for my Goal Setting reflection exercise, here are my answers:

Think about a goal that you have set for yourself in the past.  Did you achieve your goal or not?

I have set so many goals in my time, this is hard to answer.  Usually when I set my mind to something, I achieve it – it’s all in the commitment vs trying thing – if I am commited, I absolutely achieve it 100% of the time.   My 101 List is an example of my willingness to set goals and perserverence to achieve them.

In light of the points we looked at in the course, why do you think you had this outcome?

The process I have of setting goals for myself, identifying what needs to be done to achieve it, monitoring any obstacles that may present themselves and celebrating my achievements is fairly innate in my character – but seeing them all written down as a structured “goal setting and achieving” process made me realise that this is also exactly why I have had so many successes in my life and, as my mother would say, always landed on my feet.

How can you keep your goals foremost in the front of your mind?

For me it is all about writing them down and diarising tasks or appointments as stepping stones to help me achieve them.  Simple as that!