One of the most important skills I’ve learned in business is goal-setting. Whether they are professional or personal goals, learning to focus on a single task can be a critical tool for individual growth. While in college this was an extremely hard thing for me. That’s pretty ironic when I consider that it is a philosophy I’ve been hearing my whole life in competitive sports, working in groups and on school projects, all with tasks that are geared to a single, identifiable goal.
My personal epiphany occurred shortly after returning to Buffalo after college. My roommate suggested I help myself by writing down my goals and posting them above my bed. It turned out to be very helpful because consciously or subconsciously I started to notice and scratch off each of the goals I had posted. “Apartment, Job, and Car”, I mean what else does a guy need?
My next goal was to assess how goal tracking works, and while reading a series of books about effective goal setting I had another epiphany. I read an article proposing that even though in life and business, we celebrate multitasking, it’s actually extremely hard if not impossible to do. Multitaskers are simply working on a series of goals, each with a defined beginning and end. With that in mind, multitasking becomes manageable, nothing more than a series of tasks and goals to be scratched off the list above your bed.
Another book explained that once you tell yourself what you want to accomplish, your brain naturally starts to filter out everything else which in turn, helps you focus. The author offered a car buying example, specifically, deciding the make and model of the car you want. You’ve probably had the experience, once you’ve decided, you see that car everywhere. Your brain subconsciously begins to focus.
The most important thing to remember while setting goals is managing expectations. Many people lose focus when goals are unrealistic and if the goal seems overwhelming, don’t be afraid to break it down into a series of smaller, more manageable goals. Don’t be too aggressive and keep realistic timelines and within those timelines, identify tasks that will get you to short and long-term goals.
Lastly and it pains me to say this as an IT guy, but paper is your friend. It’s hard to articulate why, but a goal seems more tangible when it’s written on paper, especially if it’s hanging over your bed!