There is a certain kind of adrenaline rush that comes from dreaming big dreams for yourself and your business. It’s in these moments of passion and potential that you may find yourself wondering, “What now? How do I get there?”
Accomplishing a goal involves so much more than simply having a dream that you are passionate about. Achieving a goal requires strategic planning.
“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It’s deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”
-Tom Landry
According to Wayne, Walker & Redmond, strategic planning “is concerned with the setting of long-term organisational goals, the development and implementation of plans to achieve these goals, and the allocation or diversion of resources necessary for realising these goals”.
In other words, strategic planning combines vision casting and goal setting with tactical details for achieving that goal.
It’s not enough to have a clear end goal (although that is certainly important). In order to be truly successful, you need to consider details such as resources for achieving your goal, who is going to support you along the way, and your own skills and competencies.
When it comes to goal achievement, a lack of clear direction leads to wasted time and resources. Without a clear strategic plan in place, it is difficult, if not impossible to achieve your goal! By taking the time upfront to define your goals and the steps you’ll take to get there, you will be far more successful in achieving your dreams. I know from my clients’ experiences over many years, and from my own.
I personally am a goal-oriented individual. However, I had to learn through trial and error the importance of not simply setting a goal, but also creating a game plan for achievement.
It was the summer of 2014, and I took my first “break” in a long time to take a vacation with my family. Although I had promised my family I would not be working (because usually, I am) I had failed.
I was on a deadline and I knew before I left town, that it was going to require a significant amount of time during my vacation. I thought I’d be able to get the work done quickly and spend the rest of the time focused on my family, but it didn’t work.
I spent the vacation frustrated with myself for not planning better, and hoping that my work situation would change. Long story short, I met the deadline, but I missed out on spending quality time with my family.
When I returned, I vowed I would make some changes and created a plan for moving forward. I sought out teachers and participated in learning events and groups to get additional support and guidance.
In the planning process, I wrestled with questions, such as:
“What do I want my family life and finances to look like?”
“What do I want to create?”
“What will be my motivation to sustain this work going forward?”
I documented my goals and reflections and used them to guide me through the process of making sustainable change.
Five years later (last week, 2019), I was going through some old files and journals, and I found the goal setting and strategic planning work I had done back in 2014 and was amazed! Not only had I exceeded my financial goals, which at the time seemed pretty outrageous, but I had also created the daily structure and environment for myself that I had envisioned and hoped for five years ago.
Had I not taken the time to get clear on my goals, why I wanted to achieve them, and how I was going to get there, I would’ve continued justifying staying where I was (which although successful and fulfilling, was also stressful and not sustainable long-term for my overall health or my family life).
Had I not recognized in myself what denying my own purpose and dreams meant, or becoming accountable for making the needed changes, I would not be able to write this now.
Going down a path towards what you want is not a straight line. It opens up all sorts of other questions and benefits. Without the reflective work, and intentional direction setting, it is too easy to meander along being reactive to external influences and events rather than owning that we have this life to engage fully in the way that best serves who we are and our unique contributions to the world.
If you have a goal but aren’t sure how to begin forward, click HERE to download a FREE worksheet to learn more about clarifying your “What” and “Why” along your path towards achievement.
