At my high school graduation party people asked, “What’s your college major?”At my college graduation party they asked, “When are you getting married?”At my wedding reception they asked, “When are you getting pregnant?” At my baby shower they asked, “When are you having another baby?” At my 40th birthday party they asked, “When are you going to retire?” I don’t know why parties prompt these questions, but they make me want to avoid them. Why do we rush each other through life? I guess it’s normal to be curious about other people’s milestones and goals because it prompts us to think about our own. Goal setting is a life long process, btw. It doesn’t stop at retirement. The goals will be different, but just as important. When it comes to setting goals, beginning at the end can jump start brainstorming. Think about your funeral. If you could be a fly on the wall at your funeral and eavesdrop on conversations, what would you want to hear people say about you? If you have a difficult time imagining this scene, here are some prompts:
What do you want people to say in your eulogy?
What are you known for?
What are your accomplishments?
What is your career about?
What are you proud of?
What are your best memories?
Whom do you help?
What does your home life look like?
What is your impact on the world?
What is on your bucket list? Is it written down? Does it have deadlines?
What do you want to accomplish that you are not yet working toward?
What circumstances are in your life that you want out of your life?
What is your legacy?
As for me, I would want to hear people say, “My life was better because Mardi was in it.” But what does that look like in real life? At work, it means practicing random acts of office kindness. When a stressed out coworker says, “Do you have a minute?” My reply needs to be, “I always have a minute for you.” When trying to balance meeting the client’s goals with meeting the customer’s desires, it means listening then clearly and diplomatically communicating boundaries. It also means turning away from the work email and taking a four mile walk with my husband to watch the sunrise on a Sunday morning. Here are three suggestions to get you moving toward setting your next goals:
Do Your Homework: Find people who have already achieved what you want to do and study their lives. Read their bios on LinkedIn. Read articles and books they’ve written. Find out what they were doing at your age. How did their choices then get them to where they are now? Success leaves clues if you’re willing to look for them. Then look at your own goals and determine what steps you need to take to achieve them.
Be S.M.A.R.T.: A goal is a dream without a deadline. It’s personal and it’s yours alone. It will just remain a dream unless you harness it, so make your goal S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Keep track of the date you set the goal, the target date for achieving the goal, and the date you reached the goal.
Journal: Write down how you’ll benefit from achieving your goal. Analyze the obstacles in your way and your strategy for overcoming them. List specific action items necessary to achieve your goal and set deadlines for them. Record affirmations for yourself to help you think positive. Track your progress and reward yourself for it.
The end of your life gets closer every second (insert Debbie Downer sad trombone here: “Wah. Wah.”) Unlike Mick Jagger, time is not on your side. Instead of feeling morbid, use this reality to fuel your purpose and set your goals. Have any advice on goal setting for me? Please tell me about it here: