Goal Setting Life Habits - Expanded
As promised in addition to the newsletter, for me the habits of goal setting were built up by small steps at a time. Just setting one goal for one month, and then growing from this practice. As I became successful with the smaller goals, these became larger, and more numerous goals using a similar process.
Now, I am the type of person that REALLY loves things organized into neat little categories (definitely not a control freak at all 😅🤫). They help me concentrate by delegating larger tasks into smaller, easier to manage ones. As I wrote in the newsletter, my goal setting strategy is the annual style. I’m not exactly sure when and how I settled into this style over the monthly style, but I find the annual style works best for me. It works a little something like this:
At the end of the year, or early into the new year, I review the goals from the past year. Did I achieve them or not? If not, why not? If yes, what’s next? Then, I plan, and make ideas for what I want to do in the current year. (You can apply the same concept at a month by month level if that helps! 😁)
As promised, I will give an example from my 2024 goals, but again, I really WOULD NOT recommend adopting this strategy if it is your first time making goals to focus on. For me, this practice has come with years of practice and a growing ambitions. These goals are handwritten in a checklist format, and stuck onto my wardrobe, so I see them on almost a daily basis:
2024 goals:
PHYSICAL
Get between 95 - 97.5 kg range, and stay in this range —> Achieved
Get to and maintain <12% Body Fat
Have a B.M.I. (Body Mass Index: Weight (in kg) / (height (in m) * height (in m)) ) of around 28.25
*(yes, I am aware that B.M.I. is inaccurate, I just like it as a rough guideline alongside the <12% Body fat goal)Replace Chocolate and Chips with healthier snacks —> Achieved, usually Greek Yoghurt, protein bars, snack beans, and low calorie rice snacks
Start going to a martial arts class (Pre-requisite - must have official B2 level Norwegian before beginning)
Get a good sleep routine as a habit —> Achieved
INTELLECTUAL
Officially achieve B1 level Norweigan —> Achieved
Officially achieve B2 level Norwegian
Attend at least 1 professional development course this year with skills that will be used on a frequent basis at work —> In a course at the moment
Learn 5+ suturing methods from work —> Achieved
Read at least two animal physiotherapy textbooks and assist in animal physiotherapy at work —> Achieved
CREATIVE (Updated in April 2024, previous goals cancelled due to irrelevance)
Create the habit of writing newsletters once every two weeks to help others live a more positive, and sustainable lifestyle —> In the process
Write a blog with each newsletter to help anyone who wishes to learn more —> In the process
Write at least one “Cafe Short story” each month (ideally once each fortnight) for people to enjoy —> May: Not achieved, June: Achieved
Draw at least two characters each month to be part of the t-shirts to be sold TBA —> May: Achieved, June: Achieved
SOCIAL
Make at least 5 good friends in local area that you see regularly —> Achieved
Start dating?*
Make website as well as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts for Norskiwi —> Achieved
(If achieved, create goal for accounts (I haven’t decided on this yet 😅))
MISC
Visit at least 1 place outside of Bergen this year —> Achieved (I’m a real, “home city” person 😅)
Start investing —> Achieved
Go on at least one holiday this year
IDEAS/HOPES/THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Go see the Northern Lights
Enter at least one obstacle race
Do one of the outdoor rock climbing activities up the mountain
Art Commissions?*
Tabletop/Board game creation?*
*You’ll see I have some with question marks, these are: “Unclear if I will actually do this due to time and other priorities, but still want it written down, in case something changes.”
The, “ideas/hopes/things to keep in mind” section is for things that don’t even fall into the, “Misc” category, and they’re more like, ‘I don’t know if I will do this or not, but I’ll keep it here in case I do end up doing it.’
Now, you’ll notice, that all these are Outcome oriented goals. So, where is the Behavioural aspect? Admittedly, they aren’t written on my checklist (but at time of writing, I might change that practice), however, I am very overanalytical and love to plan, so the ‘planning aspect’ is very second nature to me, it comes with the whole INTJ-A - Architect - Myer’s Briggs Personality type 😅.
What I didn’t know about having these written up on my wall is that, for me, I can say it acts as some kind of “reference point” for my own life. I don’t really know or understand how, or why it works, but a lot of these have just ‘happened’, and I didn’t realize it until I had a brief look over my goals for the year and got the satisfaction of checking them off my goals check list. So, the analysis from Locke & Latham (2006), really has some interesting applications about subconscious direction that I was not aware of at the time of writing this.
In saying that though, a lot of these goals have been conscious pursuit as well, so, it’s a bit of a balancing act. Also, when I see these outcome goals, I naturally just plan until I make a process and then stick to the process until I review and find places where I need to change it. The process for sustaining and/or growth as a lifestyle habit comes naturally as well, for example, staying in touch with friends on a regular basis, or going to the gym 4x a week to increase strength, and lose fat, etc. This came with doing a few workout plans, then learning and writing my own, then reviewing, changing, and applying them to make them more effective.
I hope that helps! If any questions, or comments, feel free to leave them below! 👇
All the best with your goal setting!
