Yesterday we started our ‘goal setting’ series. However before you can even begin thinking about a goal, you need to know what it is that you want. So your first task is to take some time out to complete the following (fun) activity.
Goal Setting Step 1 – ‘Dreamtime’
Whilst goals are not wishes and dreams, our desires, wishes and dreams are where goals should start from, so visualise your perfect working day (life, body etc, etc) and start asking yourself some questions.
1. First, choose a time when you have several hours to yourself. Put on some music, make a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine and open your mind. What is it that you want? Be specific – for example if you love Weddings and Events, ask yourself what is it that you love about them – the organisation, the design? If you don’t know the difference between the different areas of the profession, do some research on the Internet. Do you want to pursue a career, or to start your own business? Do you want to work every day or just part-time? Can you afford to quit your job and pursue your passions? Are you working in your dream career, but feel tired with the direction you are heading in? Reflect on whatever does not feel right and question it and seek out more information where you need to.
2. Once you have done any research you need to do and with your question/s in your mind, grab a whiteboard, or some sheets of Butcher’s Paper and just let your imagination go wild – here at the Academy we love brainstorming and it is where all of our great ideas start from. Don’t edit yourself when you first start this activity. Just write whatever pops into your head. Once you have done this take the sheets and go back to them and reflect on what you wrote. At this point you can start again by refining the thoughts down until you feel that you have found the answer to your big question.
3. Another excellent activity is to arm yourself with a stack of magazines, scissors, glue and a sheet of white cardboard (the bigger the better). Focussing on the area of your life you want to improve or change, work your way through the magazines cutting out pictures and statements that speak to you and arrange them on the card. At the end of this activity you will have a collage that reveals something about YOU and may just help you to start narrowing in on what it is you want for your future.
4. Next spend some time just looking at what you have created or written in your brainstorming activity. Don’t rush this step. Walk away from it and come back again as much as you need until you have the answers you are looking for.
5. Summarise your findings in a notebook (dedicated to your goal setting journey). These activities are fun, but to make them worthwhile you need to take action and actually draw some conclusions. Don’t attempt to write goals at this point, rather seek to clarify in your own mind what you dreams are and if that ends up as broad as, ‘I want to start my own business’, GREAT. The next step will help you to set goals around that dream.
Once you have completed the above activity you are ready for the next step so diarise to come back on Wednesday January 13 for our next goal setting tip.
If you are very committed to working on your goals and feel that sharing your ‘dreamtime’ activity with someone would help, feel free to email it to me or simply drop me a line and let me know what you discovered about yourself.
