Mission-Driven Goals

Mission-Driven Goals

The way you think about your goals makes a difference in how easy it is to achieve them...

Great leaders know what they want, are sure that what they want is worth having (because it is aligned with their mission), and have multiple strategies to get there. We all know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If your current strategy isn’t yielding the results you want, you develop the behavioral flexibility to try something else.

Many times our goals fail because we believe that we will be a different/better person once the goal has been attained: “One x happens, then our business will be better/faster/stronger…” This provides a temporary-fix at best. However, goals work best when they are connected to your mission, your deepest values, and as such become worth achieving. When we build goals that are both responsive to our customer’s needs and consistent with our purpose in life, we have developed goals that are compelling, attainable, and worthy of our precious time.

The way you think about your goal makes a difference in how easy it is to achieve them:

1. Stated in the positive. Our minds will focus on the words we use, and when we state goals in the negative – “I don’t want this…” – our minds must first review that which we do not want in order to understand. Goals stated in the positive are more compelling and easier for our minds to process on all levels of consciousness.
2. Is broken down into smaller, attainable ‘chunks.’ When your goals are broken down into daily and weekly chunks, you are poised for success – and those smaller successes help build motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
3. Is within your complete control to attain. Often times we (inadvertently) set goals that are about the other person: “I want this customer to buy more of our product.” It is important that you include external input to inform your goals, but in order to be effective and attainable, goals must be based on what you can control: “I will be more open to feedback and find ways to incorporate this into how we approach the customer.”
4. Has clear evidence that the goal has been attained. When we create ambiguous goals, it is difficult to know when we have reached them. What will you see, hear and feel when you achieve your goal? How will you measure success?
5. Is context-specific. Where, when and with whom would you want your goal? Everywhere and anywhere make it harder to measure.
6. Fits in with the rest of your life. Your goals, when in alignment with your mission/purpose, should enhance, not diminish, the personal, professional, relational, and social aspects of your life. If your goal is incompatible with any part of who you are, it is a good sign that the goal needs to be re-worked. Once you understand these roadblocks to success, you become more prepared to refine your goals and turn consequences into opportunities.

For assistance with setting compelling, mission-based goals, please call me for an initial consultation.

Adapted from NLP: The New Technology of Achievement edited by Steve Andreas and Charles Faulkner. Visit www.nlpco.com to buy this and other great NLP resources!