Goal Setting Exercise

Goal setting exercise.

(Ian Stewart).

Lifetime goals.

Take 2 mins to list all lifetime goals that come to mind. - ie. everything you could ever want, hope to want, or only dream of during your lifetime.

Be free-flowing with your ideas, do not try to filter them by thinking about them too much.

After 2 minutes stop writing, no matter what.

Take a 30 second break and do not look at the paper. Do not think about what you have written.

Now, take another 2 mins to amend that list so that you are happy with what you have written.

Stop writing after 2 minutes, no matter what.

What do I want to achieve in the next 3 years?

Again, take 2 mins to list - once again, go for it. Do not filter!

Stop after 2 minutes.

Take a 30 second break.

Now review your list and take another 2 mins to amend the list so that you are happy with what you have written.

If I knew that I would be struck dead, by lightening, six months from today - How would I live until then?

    (Assume that your funeral etc. has been dealt with).

Again - 2 mins to list.

Go wild, remember!

Take a 30 second break.

Then another 2 mins to amend.

Now, spend at least, another 2 minutes reviewing all of the answers.

Label the lists, A, B and C.

Look over your 3 lists, - spend as long as you want doing this.

Go back over lists and change the language that you used into Positive wording, e.g. what will you do? (rather than making the focus what it is that you won’t do), what instead of X?

Spend as long as you need doing this.

Now contrast the lists, A, B, and C.

Question: Are there sharp differences between A (the life time) B (3 yr) and C (6 month) lists?

During your review of the information, and in order to answer the above question in a way that is satisfying to yourself, alter your lists, now, if you wish.

Take as long as you need to do this.

Are there any conflicts?

For example, does watching every back episode of Eastenders that have ever been made, conflict with making a million pounds? (it would be real difficult to do both over the next 3 yrs).

Before you despair, know that these conflicts are positive.

By identifying them, it gives us an opportunity to a) set priorities and b) make compromises.

Just for now, identify the conflicts.

Setting priorities.

Pick out the three most important from each list.

Label these;

A1, A2 and A3.

B1, B2 and B3 and

C1, C2 and C3.

Finally, write down all nine.