Long and short range goals

Some goals are big and ambitious and will take a long time to accomplish. One of the first steps in the process of setting a goal is to break it down into specific action steps. Projects are often a step between goals and daily activities: the intermediate, or middle range. Daily activities are the choices we make today that will contribute to our goals and projects. We derive our activities from the top down, and achieve our goals from the bottom up.

goals — projects — daily activities

long range — shorter range — within reach today

In the book “Getting Things Done,” David Allen goes further with a six-level model:

• 50,000+ feet: Life (why do you/company exist?)
• 40,000 feet: 3-5 year vision.
• 30,000 feet: 1-2 year goals.
• 20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility.
• 10,000 feet: Current projects.
• Runway: Current actions.

David Allen defines a project as anything you want to achieve that requires more than one step. He poses the following questions for these levels:

• long term goals – “What projects will accomplish this?”
• projects – “What actions will accomplish this?”
• daily activities – “What actions are top priority?”

Setting a Target Date

To set a target date, consider the:

• difficulty level
• available resources
• number of steps involved

Look for the sweet spot: a place of high value with low effort. However, some very worthwhile goals require more effort and more resources like time, energy and money. Consider what the results will be, how much impact it will have, and how big a contribution it will make. The Economy of Goals means that we are unlikely to pursue a goal when the costs exceed the benefits. End goals provide built-in motivation. Choose a realistic yet challenging date. Often a target date is simply an estimate, a self-imposed deadline to provide motivation to reach the goal. It may need to be reassessed and adjusted as part of the weekly review.

Setting time frames and target dates is part of planning SMART goals.

Learn more about How to Set Goals and find lots of free printables at the Goal Toolkit.

All these incentives can shape behavior: positive outcomes are desirable and attractive, while negative outcomes are undesirable and avoided.

Quadrant I Positive Intrinsic (internal) – affirmations, meaning, progress, competence, mastery, wisdom

Quadrant II Positive Extrinsic (external) – recognition, belonging, autonomy, good grades, monetary bonus

Quadrant III Negative Intrinsic (internal) – self-criticism, learned helplessness, fixed mindset

Quadrant IV Negative Extrinsic (external) – negative feedback, bad grades, putting money in a swear jar

Accomplishing a goal is rewarding in itself. Some rewards are intangible, such as growth, respect and mastery. Others, like fame and fortune, are more tangible! Consequences can be immediate or delayed. It may be more immediately rewarding to eat a doughnut, rather than exercise, so it becomes important to focus on the rewards of the long-term goal.

Everyone has their own ideas about what is most rewarding for them. Some might consider shopping punishment rather than reward! Also, some rewards are bigger than others. Select the item on the list that you consider the most rewarding and assign it 5 reward points. Select the least agreeable reward and assign it 1 reward point. Using this scale assign points to all rewards. When selecting rewards for accomplishing tasks or goals, the size of the reward should be comparable to the size of the task or goal. Provide mini-rewards for small steps forward, a big reward for accomplishment of a big goal.

Reward Ideas

• Visiting a bookstore
• Going to the park
• Visiting an art gallery or museum
• Going for a drive
• Going to a concert
• Going to see a movie
• Renting a video
• Purchasing a new book, tape or CD
• A new gadget
• Attending a class
• A bouquet of flowers
• A candy bar
• Going out to eat fast food
• Going out to eat at a fancy place
• A hot bath or shower
• Going shopping
• Ice cream
• A massage
• A nap
• Games
• Sports activities
• Outdoor activities
• Crafts/hobbies
• Visiting friends or relatives
• Other

See also What’s the Motivation?

Once you’ve generated ideas for goals, take a closer look at the ideas to select the best ones. Dreams become goals and ideas become projects when you decide to take action on them. Go for the goals that are the most meaningful to you. Do a regular weekly review of your progress. Learn more about Evaluating Ideas and Projects.

Evaluate Goals and Ideas:

1. WHY do you want to acheive this goal? Does it fit your purpose and involve Active, Inspiring, Meaningful Solutions that aim for a vision?

2. WHICH will make best use of your strengths and talents? Which will provide the greatest value? Which give the most significant results? Which are the top priorities? Which fit your mission statement most closely?

3. WHAT is the goal or idea? What would the result look like? What are the chances of achieving it? What actions will need to be taken? Will it lead to learning, growth, and improvement? Will it contribute to long-range goals? What obstacles might be encountered, what solutions can you employ?

4. HOW could it be accomplished? What resources will be needed? Are they available? Are the benefits of achieving the goal worth the investment of resources? How can you manage your time to accomplish it? How can you increase focus? How can you overcome procrastination and get motivated? How will you measure results? Do you have all the information you need? How much do you want to achieve it? Do you have the Desire? Are you willing to make the commitment of resources required?

5. WHO is involved? What is the effect on others? Will it benefit everyone involved? Who will be responsible for implementation?

6. WHEN will it be accomplished? How long would it take? Is there a deadline involved?

7. WHERE will you go?

• Persistence or Reinvention
• Learn more about How to Set Goals and explore the Goal Toolkit.