How many times have you set a goal, only to abandon it within a few days? Or maybe you are like me - the constant iterator. For years, I would start working towards a goal, only to change direction multiple times along the way.

But here’s what I have discovered. Goals can actually be a good thing! Not only can they be achievable, but working towards the goal can even bring its own reward. Whether it’s a professional goal or a personal target, the key to success is not how much white-knuckle effort you put in. Success comes when you choose the right goal and do the right work. 

In this article, I am sharing my goal ladder to help you do just that. Here are the 10 steps that I have tried, tested and adjusted until they became a framework that will really help you achieve your next goal.

Let’s get into it.

Step 1: Identify Goal Opportunities

Have you ever been rushed to place your order at a restaurant, picked the first thing that stood out on the menu, and then suffered main-course regret when you saw the other dishes?

Rushed decisions aren’t always bad; choosing the fish or meat probably won’t have a significant ripple effect on the rest of your life. But deciding what part of your work or life to develop and improve can pay huge dividends, and so it’s worth investing some time in choosing the right goal.

Set aside 20 minutes with a pen and paper, and write down as many opportunities for growth and development as you can. These can be big ideas, such as completing a specific course, or smaller ideas, such as speaking more confidently in meetings. Aim for 20-30 ideas; the obvious ones will come easily at first, but often the gold is found when you have to dig a little deeper.

My favourite thing about this step is the realisation that goal-setting isn’t an all-or-nothing activity. There is so much opportunity for growth; if option A isn’t feasible at this time, there are plenty more. 

Step 2: Pursue Meaningful Goals

The success of a goal is less about the moment of achievement (although this is a wonderful feeling) and more about the growth you experience along the way and what it allows you to do next. 

When I set a goal to complete a marathon, one unexpected area of growth for me was learning to ask for help so I could go for long runs without it interfering with my family’s and work’s needs. After I completed the marathon, I was more confident in taking on new projects and challenging my mindset around what I could and could not do. 

Take your list of draft goals and answer the following questions to choose the goal(s) that are most meaningful to you at this point in your career or life:

1. Why is this goal important to you?
2. Why is it necessary at this time in your life or career?
3. Why would you choose to pursue this goal above others?
4. What will you be able to do / how will you feel after achieving this goal?

Rotate through the potential goals until you settle on the ones that you are going to focus on for the next period of time.

Step 3: Manage Existing Goals and Workload

It’s unlikely that you will be focused solely on the achievement of new goals over the coming weeks or months. It’s more likely that you have existing tasks and commitments that you will need to work on in parallel. And you might even have existing goals that aren’t yet complete.

Before you take on something new, it’s essential to evaluate your current workload and make any changes needed to ensure you have enough capacity. Otherwise, you risk other areas of work slipping, the goal being relegated to the bottom of your list or - worst of all - you burning out while trying to do everything all at once.

For any existing goals and other daily activities, answer the following questions:

1. How are the new goals connected to the ones you are already working on, if at all?
2. Are the existing goals still valid?
3. How will the new goals impact them? For example, will you have enough time to do both?

If you would like to learn more about how I help teams manage busy workloads, get in touch to schedule a call.

Step 4: Avoid VOMIT Goals

You know the area you want to improve and why it’s important. It’s time to craft a strong goal statement to help you move forward.

The SMART acronym is a good place to start. This age-old rule of thumb for goal setting states that your goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. The problem I have found with this framework is that it is so familiar that people often skip over it and don’t fully define the goal.

To help you avoid this mistake, I recommend using my VOMIT goal checklist.

• Vague: The goal is difficult to explain to people outside your team. 
• Open-ended: The goal has no fixed deadline within the next 12 months.
• Misaligned: The goal is not aligned with other goals within your team, department or organisation.
• Invisible: The progress of the goal is not reported on alongside all other goals and objectives.
• Time-Suck: The effort required to achieve the goal is unknown

If your goal has any of the features of a VOMIT goal, go back and revise it further before working on it.

Step 5: Make it a Deeper Goal

If you have followed the steps so far, you have a solid goal to start working towards. If you want to take it a step further, ask yourself these two questions:

1. Is it linked to a long-term vision? Do you have a long-term vision that you are working towards? Long-term is subjective; if your goal has a 12-week timeframe, then long-term could mean 2 years. If the goal doesn’t align with longer-term plans, there is a risk of conflict.
2. Is this an opportunity for growth? A goal is an opportunity to do something new and extraordinary. You want to approach a goal with a positive mindset and healthy optimism, which is only possible if the goal challenges you to develop further in some way, in an environment that provides the support you need to make it happen.

Step 6: Define Goal Success

When I worked in operational roles in the IT sector, success was always measured in numbers or percentages. This was very helpful; it provided an objective view and allowed me to clearly map the progress. 

I always recommend having a clear measure of success where possible. Otherwise, success can be a moving target, and it becomes almost impossible to know when you are done. When it comes to individual goals, we can add another layer to the definition of success.

 As I mentioned earlier, the success of a goal doesn’t end the moment you achieve it. And looking at numbers alone can never capture the personal sense of accomplishment you will feel. Quite often, it is these things that keep us motivated day after day. Give your future self a helping hand by completing this short exercise:

Draft a future email to share your success with the people you care about. Follow this format to bring your goals to life.

Hi [Name],

I am so happy now that...

Since reaching this milestone, I feel...

I am excited for the future because now I can...

You can return to this email throughout your journey to help you stay motivated and focused on what you are working towards.

Step 7: Decide What to Do and When

A goal is just a wish until you take action. Having a clear plan can help you focus, measure progress and avoid getting overwhelmed when things are busy.

You don’t need an extensive list of tasks; you need a clear set of actions that are directly linked to the goal. Use this task filter to determine which actions will add the most value.

1. What are all the things you could do to achieve this goal?
2. Of that list, what are the things you want to do or feel you should do?
3. Of that list, what are the things you must do and commit to doing?

For example, when I was training for the marathon, there were a lot of things I wanted to do, but I didn’t have the time. I committed to getting out for at least one short run and one longer run every week. This wasn’t the optimal plan for marathon training, but it was achievable for me, which meant I could stick to it.

Step 8: Schedule or Trigger Actions

The big question when it comes to working towards any goal is “When will you have the time to do it”? Unless you dedicate time to the work, there is a real risk that the goal will slip to the bottom of the pile. This is especially true if you have a busy role or a lot of personal commitments.

The good news is that if you schedule a specific time to work on a goal, you are more likely to take action. And the better news is that some of the work can be done alongside activities you already do.

When you will work on your goal depends on the goal type and the steps you will take. For example, if you want to improve your communication skills, you could enrol in a specific on-demand course and decide to speak more often in meetings. The first activity can be scheduled; the second is triggered when you attend a meeting.

• If you have scheduled activities, add them to your calendar and allow buffer time before and after.
•  If you have trigger activities, use IF/THEN statements to identify the scenarios where you can take action. (For example,” If I attend a meeting, then I will make one verbal contribution to the conversation.”)

Step 9: Get the support you need.

No goal is achieved in isolation. Even if you are doing all the direct work, other people give you advice, guidance, indirect help or support.  Take some time to write a list of people who can help you. Maybe it’s people who have been successful at doing a similar thing in the past or people who are willing and available to troubleshoot with you when things aren’t going right. Perhaps it’s someone who is an excellent listener.

Begin with these four categories to identify the support you need and add anything else that applies to your goal.

• Skills or knowledge
• Mindset
• Time
• Emotional support

Then, reach out to the people who can help you and let them know what you are working on.

Step 10: Review and Reset

Even the best plans work only partially as you work towards your goal. Some things go better than planned, and you may have to overcome unforeseen obstacles. Regular reviews let you check your progress and make changes along the way.

Complete this review every 2-3 months or more regularly if your goal has a short timeframe.

1. What is your goal statement?
2. What progress have you made? 
3. What has gone as expected?
4. What has been unexpected or surprising?
5. Is the goal still relevant?
6. How confident are you that you will achieve the goal?
7. What key steps will you complete in the weeks and months ahead?

If you are interested in a Goal Review and Reset session for your team, get in touch to learn how I can support you.

What comes next?

I hope these steps will help you identify and achieve your next goal. When you reach this milestone, take a moment to reflect on what you have learned and what new skills you have developed along the way.

Before we wrap this up, it’s essential to talk about what happens if you don’t achieve your goal. I have failed many times in both my professional and personal life, and it’s always disappointing when that happens. But the alternative is never to try at all.

I know that, like me, you are the kind of person who wants to learn, grow and improve throughout your life. So, if it didn’t work this time, what adjustments do you need to make?

Take the experience, learn from it and use it as a catalyst to try something new.