Choosing Goals

At the beginning of the year, many people set new goals to enhance their lives.  However, choosing goals can be a frustrating process.

Taking time to focus on what is important and brainstorming many ideas can be helpful.  In the article, 102: Choosing Goals (How to Figure Out What You Want), Chris Sparks tells us that it is better to pursue intrinsically challenging and worthwhile goals rather than things that we believe will make us or others happy.  He indicates that happiness is fleeting and that pursuing things that have intrinsic meaning is more powerful.

Another helpful idea is to consider various areas in your life that you may want to work on.  The website, Mindtools gives a broad list of life categories to consider when making goals.  The following is a summary of the areas they include.

Goal Categories –

• Career– What position do you want to obtain?  What do you want to accomplish in your career?
• Financial– What are your financial goals?  How much do you need to earn or save to achieve them?
• Education– Is there any degree or knowledge you want to acquire?  What type of sacrifice will this require?
• Family– What type of family life or interaction do you want? Do you want to have a partner or be a parent?  How do you want to be perceived by immediate or extended family members?
• Artistic– Do you have any artistic goals?  What would it require to pursue them?
• Attitude– Could you improve your attitude or behavior?  Set a goal to improve your mindset or approach to problems.
• Physical– What steps are you taking for current and long-term physical health?  Set up daily goals to achieve physical health.
• Pleasure– Are you making positive plans, scheduling pleasant activities and events into your life?
• Public Service– Are you interested in public service?  How will you incorporate interests into your daily routine?

After brainstorming about these different categories, select the goals that seem most important to you. When choosing goals, you will have more success when focusing on a few specific and purposeful goals.