Love/Hate Relationship With Goal Setting

Goal setting and I have a long history.

In my mid/late 20s I read Tony Robbins and got it in my head that I could plan every long term goal I wanted, then stage it back in smaller increments until I had an INTENSE daily checklist.

It worked… for a little while.

But it left little room for spontaneity.  

Personal evolution.

A learning curve.

And it was exhausting…

and that's part of why I failed.

At that time I didn’t fail well & I thought it meant I was a failure.

Since then I’ve learned about and tried every goal setting system you can think of, for professional and personal reasons.  (it’s even a big part of my Master’s Capstone)

My biggest takeaways:

👍 Set a small cache of goals

👍 Only set goals you’re excited & determined to commit to (like marriage!)

👍 When you’re not sure what to do, embrace your curiosity

That curiosity is fueled by setting Intentions.

Years ago, when I was still in that Goal Setting Is Everything mentality, I’d hear the word “intention” and get repelled.

It sounded woo-woo and confusing.

It was too soft for my rigid practices.

It felt… stupid.

But when I burned out on all that goal setting a few kind friends taught me that intentions are directional (instead of instructional, like goals).

It’s the difference between leaving New York to “drive West” and to drive directly to Chicago.

In one you explore to learn more, in the other you have a plan and a destination.

If you feel aimless, consider setting intentions instead of goals.

Intentions are goal setting’s less-intense sister - ready to help you sort out your own problems instead of always telling you what to do.