Savage Goal Setting: Set Goals from the Inside Out
For so many years, I’ve set goals focused on external success metrics; company revenue, number of clients served, content volume and frequency, and of course the all-consuming vanity social media metrics of views, comments, and shares.
External success metrics and goals are important and guide our efforts. They also allow us to measure meaningful progress toward those goals. In short, these types of goals are a must.
But what about all of the goals and work that support those externally visible and measurable goals? Like becoming a better leader, success in setting and achieving goals also requires an internal focus – Setting goals from the inside out.
Make a New Years Resolution: Set Goals from The Inside Out
To help turbo-charge your goals this year and beyond, consider trying the following.
Goal Setting Tip #1: Set Mindset Goals
Having the right mindset is critical. The right mindset to show up effectively for your team. The mindset needed to win a successful negotiation. And in this case, the proper mindset to help you achieve your goals. As you look at your goals for the year, quarter, or week, ask yourself what mindsets are required to help you succeed. Are your goals oriented around growth and personal development? If so, self-acknowledgement, gratitude, and grace might be appropriate mindsets. If your big goal is to start a new company or launch a new project, relevant values might be focus, patience, and grit. Make sure you start with and stay in the right mindset to help you achieve your goals both this year and beyond. Set mindset goals to help you stay in the zone and focused on your big goals.
Goal Setting Tip #2: Align Your Goals with Your Values
Many people set goals in a vacuum that can seem arbitrary in hindsight – generate $10M in revenue, change jobs, or get a promotion. Go further and align your goals with your values. For people with a clear, established purpose and values, ask yourself if your goals line-up with your values. For me, I have strong, enduring values of growth (both personally and professionally, though it’s increasingly one and the same), freedom of time and space, and family. Rather than just set a revenue target for the year (which I do), I also focus on goals that help me live out my values; serving clients that allow me to grow professionally, minimizing travel so that I can be there for my boys and wife, and not overscheduling my days so that I can continue to write, create, and grow. Aligning my values and goals provide more meaning in my days, weeks, and months while giving me a greater chance of achieving my goals. If you have yet to codify a clear set of values, ask yourself “why” a particular goal matters to you. Is it rooted in ego, greed, or recognition (which is fine by the way if that is important to you)? Or is it anchored in meaning? This time around, set goals that align with your values and what matters most to you.
Goal Setting Tip #3: Set Both “Being” and “Achieving” Goals
Most peoples’ goals are rooted in achievement or attainment; make $200K, buy a new house, or write a book (that was one of my goals in 2021!). To help you achieve those goals, also set “being” goals. For me, it’s a greater focus on being patient, accepting where I am in my career and life, and being present each and every day. What about you? Are you solely focused on achievement and attainment? Try a greater focus on “being” this time and see if you are both more successful in achieving your goals, but also experience more joy, calm, and satisfaction along the way.
Goal Setting Tip #3: Focus on the Process, Not Just the Outcomes
Goals are intended to be achieved. But goals are like a scoreboard that doesn’t always tilt in your favor. Be sure to focus on the process and not just the outcomes as much progress can be made even if you fall short of your goals. Perhaps you are trying to be a better leader with your team and aim to more present in one-on-one team meetings. Don’t solely focus on and mentally reward the result of being more present in meetings. Acknowledge the fact that you are taking 5 minutes before each meeting to center yourself and get ready to show up for the other person. Focusing on and rewarding the process will help prevent frustration when goals take longer than expected to achieve. They will also shift your mind to what you can control (the process) versus what you cannot (the outcome). Sahil Bloom has a fantastic goal setting framework that includes “process goals” to guide your daily efforts.
Goal Setting Tip #4: Acknowledge Your Progress
Effective goals are those that are achievable but also aspirational. For goals that require you to take risks, shift into a state of discomfort, and experience fear, be sure to acknowledge your progress along the way. Acknowledge that you just asked a long-standing client for a referral rather than solely reward the successful outcome. Doing things that are hard requires self-acknowledgement because external validation can take time or be hard to come by.
Goal Setting Tip #5: Flush Goals that Don’t Serve You
I don’t know about you, but there are certain goals that sit on my goals sheet year after year but are never achieved. Why is that true for me and so many others? Many are those that don’t align with core values. Others might just not be motivating anymore. Have the courage to flush goals on your list that no longer serve or motivate you. Seeing goals that are never achieved acts as a drag on motivation and confidence to achieve the other goals on the list. Go ahead, flush that goal this time around that no longer serves or motivates you.
Next Steps
Goal setting is a critical activity. The ability to set and achieve goals separates great leaders from the pack. To help you successfully live up to your goals this year, set goals from the inside out. You’ll see that you are both more successful with your goals (and in general) while experiencing greater joy paired with lower stress and frustration. Good luck.
Want More Content Like This?
If you liked this post, be sure to buy a copy of The Savage Leader. You can also sign-up for The Savage Leader Newsletter to gain access to similar articles that will help you on your pursuit to becoming a great leader. The monthly email contains quick practical tips to help you become a better leader from the inside out. Join other Savage Leaders in your pursuit of greatness!