"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible" ~ Tony Robbins.
Gaining Perspective:
1. Gaining Perspective
2. Gaining Perspective Through Actions
3. Gaining Perspective at Project Level
4. Gaining Perspective from the Areas of Focus
5. Gaining Perspective Through Goals
6. Gaining Perspective at a Higher Level: Vision
7. Gaining Perspective at the Highest Altitude: Purpose and Principles
Climbing the hierarchy of GTD perspective levels, we are already at the level of goals, which contains the commitments you want or have to achieve one or two years from now.
Goals, like projects, are results that can be completed in a given time frame and are therefore likely to be marked as “done”. The one-year barrier is often used to separate goals from projects, with projects being the results you want to achieve within a year and goals being those you want to achieve in the longer term, but what really makes the difference is how often you need to evaluate progress on them.
If you need to check their evolution every week to feel comfortable, you should define it as a project, as it will fall under the weekly review process. If it’s something that doesn’t need to be tracked as continuously, you can define it as a goal and include it in the bigger picture reviews that you will do every month or every three months.
The way to represent goals is very simple. A simple list of goals will usually be enough (unless you are the planning manager of a medium or large company, in which case you may need a more comprehensive document). As you move up the levels of perspective, the structures needed to contain the information become simpler, even though the information itself is often more difficult to define.
When to establish and review goals
In the business world, it’s common to set annual and more frequent goals at least once a year; this allows the necessary resources to be identified and budgets to be allocated. It’s also quite common to review these goals on a regular basis, monthly or quarterly, to define priorities and short-term plans to move them forward, and to correct the situation if they are not going as they should.
As individuals, however, we are less accustomed to setting goals and may need a nudge from time to time to get down to it. Usually the beginning of a new cycle, such as the start of the year or the return from a long summer vacation, is a good excuse for you to focus on this level of perspective. What do you want to achieve in the coming year?
Setting goals gives meaning to the things we do, both for organizations and for individuals. Even if you have a single goal, defining how far you want to go and when allows you to have clear criteria for decision making.
It’s important to define consistent reviews at regular intervals to ensure the viability of your goals. It may also be necessary to review them at times when you are simply too scattered or unfocused.
Thinking at goal level
Goal setting is common in successful organizations and individuals. There are a multitude of books written on the subject.
However, setting goals is not necessarily synonymous of success. It often happens that defined goals are not the most appropriate, are not challenging enough or have not been updated for too long. That’s why it’s essential to review and update goals on a regular basis.
Another common situation is that goals that are ambitious enough have been set, but no clear strategy has been defined to achieve them. The goal alone is not enough; a short-term plan of actions and projects must be defined in order to make progress towards achieving it.
At an individual level, there’s often a reluctance to define this type of long-term commitment, as it implies leaving everyday life behind and entering unknown territory. Will I be able to achieve this? What will I have to sacrifice to do so? Your ability to visualize the future positively, your confidence in your abilities and your willpower are factors that will help you reach your goal.
Also keep in mind that there are situations where thinking at a goal level is not the most appropriate. When your life is in chaos and managing your day-to-day life is overwhelming and exhausting, thinking about higher-level goals can even be counterproductive.
That’s why it’s usually recommended to approach the levels of perspective from the bottom up. It’s very difficult to focus correctly on a higher level if we don’t first manage the smaller things well.
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