Smart goals and heart goals
Goals contribute to both success and happiness. But not in the way you might assume. Most of us get a pop of satisfaction and excitement from achieving a goal. It feels great at the moment. But the magic comes from the act of working towards something personally meaningful. You need to think about both smart and heart goals.
Your head and heart both need to be at the table.
You’ve likely heard of SMART goals: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and have a Timeframe.
All five elements are essential if your goals:
– are too vague, you can’t take action;
– aren’t measurable, they can’t be managed;
– aren’t actionable, you can’t create the conditions for success;
– aren’t realistic, you’ll end up unmotivated, stressed, and feeling like a failure;
– don’t have a timeline; you might never get going.
But you need more than just SMARTs.
Your goals need to align with what’s important to you.
That might sound obvious. After all, why would anyone set misaligned goals?!
It happens all the time.
Do any of these sound familiar?
- I should set this goal.
- I want to be the kind of person who wants this goal.
- I love the idea of this goal (but the reality of what’s involved is unappealing).
- I will banish my flaws with this goal.
- Or any of the infinite variations on the above.
Everything on that list comes from monkey-mind chatter. I spent years setting those types of goals. No more, though, because they never work. If you don’t care deeply about what you’re working towards, it’s almost impossible to get out of your comfort zone or navigate the inevitable bumps along the way.
Your goals need HEART
What gives a goal HEART?
Harmony, Energizing, Affirming, Radical, True.
Harmony
Your goal is in harmony with who you are and the flow of your life.
Energizing
Just the thought of working towards your goal gives you energy instead of draining you. You smile, maybe get a little tingly, perhaps even a little nervous, but in an “oh wow, this will be amazing” kind of way.
Affirming
Your goal is a positive force in your life. Working towards it makes you feel good about yourself and your efforts. Progress feels excellent, and sideways and backward steps are equally valuable because they’re learning opportunities.
Radical
Your goal goes to the root of what’s important to you; you’re taking a stand for something that matters. And that, my friend, is a radical act.
True
You believe you can achieve your goal; you know it’s possible. Without this belief, you feel defeated before you even begin.
H.E.A.R.T.
If you’re thinking, “Sounds good in theory, but I can’t worry about heart-based goals right now I need to be practical!” here’s what’s so cool. When you align your goal with who you are and what you care about, you dramatically increase your odds of success.
It doesn’t get any more practical than that.
Guest Blogger: Sherry Essig is the founder of Flow Dynamix LLC and an executive and life coach who works with clients who are done settling for less than success and happiness. She is also the co-host of the podcast Flowing East and West: the Perfectly Imperfect Journey to a Fulfilled Life.
www.flow-dynamix.com www.flowingeastandwest.com
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
Photo by Nicola Fioravanti on Unsplash
