Risk & Business Magazine Benson Kearley IFG Magazine Winter 2018 | Page 30

GOAL SETTING GOALS: WHY SHOULD YOU EVEN BOTHER? A s we are now well entrenched into the fourth quarter of 2018, it is time to look ahead to 2019. What does 2019 have in store for us? We don’t have a crystal ball and we don’t know all that will happen—both good and not so good—but we can make some choices to help us be in better control of our lives. For years, I have taken the time to write down personal goals and business goals. I find it beneficial to have both so that life is somewhat balanced, but I do admit business goals tend to take over. Let’s start with the “why,” for without the “why,” nothing really matters or matters as much as it could. Do you have a desire to grow a talent, create a new talent, build a relationship, or look for new relationships? All these are important, but what matters most to you? There are no right answers as everyone has different aspirations and desires. Each year I try to have 10 goals for business 30 and 10 goals for my personal life. For any of these to be accomplished, the “why” must be answered. I always ask myself the same questions: What does my life look like at the end of next year? What would make me happy to see and feel in 12 months' time? You can start there and work backwards to now. I use a chart with 10 goals down the left side with the next column asking the question “why.” Once I understand the “why,” I can then plan out for the year. I set a target for the first 90 days for each of my goals. What step—whether large or small—can I take toward achieving that goal? Every 90 days, I review my progress and plan my next moves. My goals are in front of me all the time. I see them, I breath them, and for the most part, they usually come together. Sometimes how I expected and other times not at all how I thought, but they still happened in one form or another. Often while we are taking steps toward our goals, we learn and grow and our goals slightly change or they change completely. We don’t have all the answers until we try to move forward. Once we move, things happen. I call these strategic by-products of the original goal. You may even decide on your way to a goal that it is not what you want, so you change gears and focus on more of what you want. I will give you an example. I have for many years wanted to take a Psychology course. I felt it would help me understand human behaviour and help me to be a better leader. I did some due diligence and got some advice and signed up for an evening course. After the first night, I realized it was the wrong course as it was too much science and not enough human behaviour. I had to take a few steps back and decide what it was that I really wanted to accomplish. I pulled out of that, and now I am back in the due diligence stage to locate a course more in line with my overall goal. Jim Rohn says this about goals: “The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them.” It’s not just the goal; it’s what else comes out of the lessons learned along the way.