My Three Rules for Goal Setting
It’s important to have goals. However, all goals are not created equal. Here are my three rules for high quality goal setting.
- Create small attainable goals to achieve daily. For goals that are more difficult, break them down into the elements of measurable progress.
- For every extrinsic goal, map it directly to a related intrinsic goal. Then focus on the intrinsic goal as the priority. Let the extrinsic goal be the by-product.
- Intrinsic Goal Examples: Personal growth, close relationships, community involvement, physical health
- Extrinsic Goal Examples: Money, titles, fame, material things
- For each intrinsic goal, connect it to a process goal. Process goals have the following three characteristics.
- Repeatable: a process you can do as a routine either daily, weekly, or something in between
- Measurable: a process that you can track with precise numbers that lead to a visual representation of progress over time.
- Systematic: a process that is intertwined into an overall system of proven processes that create synergy.