Planning goals is so overwhelming
I have a love/hate relationship with planning goals. On one hand, I’m an extremely goal-oriented and results-driven person. It’s very in-line with my Type A, over-achiever personality. On the other hand, I have anxiety, and this really annoying perfectionism complex that means anything I do is no where near “enough”. When I worked in the management consulting industry, I saw 10,001 ways to go about planning goals and each one was more head-ache inducing than the last. Let’s not even get into all of the goal planning solutions we see online. So, I’ve decided to scrap all that an go with my simple guide for planning manageable goals, geared towards other over-achievers like me.
Not all advice on planning goals will work for you
Before we dive in, I think its important to note that there are tons of different goal planning methods out there, because there are tons of different ways that people work best. It’s probably why you may have struggled with finding a way of thinking through your goals that actually sticks. You have to first have a really good understanding of yourself, what motivates you, what makes you tick, and what stresses you out. Pro tip: If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed when you’re goal planning…you’re using the wrong method.
You have to find the method that best fits YOUR style and needs
For example, I am a naturally super detail-oriented and structured person who also has the self-awareness that I do not need additional detail-oriented and structured approaches to assist my thinking. If I layer something detailed and structured on top of my already detailed and structured brain then I get super anxious about tiny specifics that don’t really matter and get me stuck in the minutia of how exactly things are supposed to happen rather than the big picture.
On the other hand, I am also self-aware that my anxiety causes me to think WAY too big picture sometimes, and suddenly I’m stuck thinking about existential ideals when I’m trying to think through goals that are actionable. Picking a method that is too big picture isn’t going to work for me either. I’m a goldilocks goal planner. I need something not too big, not too detailed—it’s gotta be just right.
Don’t be afraid to adjust!
So, that’s why I now ignore all goal-setting advice and I just stick to a super simple, manageable guide that works well for me. I’ll walk you through it, but remember that this is probably not tailored for exactly what you need. For a method to really stick, you’ve got to do the self-work to uncover what’s right for you.
That being said, maybe my method will offer some inspiration.
The Goal Planning Guide:
Step 1: Start with 3 to 5 BIG life goals
Think about 3 to 5 BIG life goals that are really important to you. (I know what you’re probably thinking, but don’t worry, trust the process.) I’m talking big goals as in these are staples you see as part of your life when you are living as your highest, most aligned version of yourself. Jot those down—but don’t stress too much about getting them exactly right. We’re going to break them down a bit in the next step.
Step 2: Write down the first major milestone you’ll need to hit to reach each goal
For example, one of my big life goals is to become a published author (this is what I wrote down in step 1). That is MASSIVE HUMONGOUS goal. It is very unlikely that I will achieve that in the next year or two, but it is something that I want to start working towards.
There are TONS of milestones I’ll need to hit for this goal: finding an agent, getting picked up by a publisher, finding a good editor, writing and re-writing over and over. Where to start? The first major milestone here is to write a rough first draft. It doesn’t even have to be good. It just needs to be all out on paper.
Here’s where someone like me (and you, probably, if you’re vibing with this so far) needs to be careful. Don’t get too wrapped up in picking the perfect first milestone. It needs to be something that is achievable in the relatively short-ish term, depending on how big your big life goal is. But, it also can’t be too detailed and in the weeds like its something you can complete tomorrow or this week. Think first mini-goal within the BIG life goal.
Do this for each of your big life goals and jot them down. If you need to, keep narrowing down your first major milestone until it’s something you feel you can reasonably accomplish—ideally in 2022, or at least, make a pretty good headway next year. Make sure they feel manageable.
Step 3: Come up with 2 to 3 simple steps you will take during 2022 to achieve each milestone
This is the fun and really important part. Break each milestone down into 2 to 3 simple, straight-forward steps you can realistically take next year to achieve that milestone. These should feel aligned and writing them down should energize you. You should feel excited about them because they directly align to your milestone, and big life goal, and because they feel simple, manageable, realistic, and achievable.
I’ll continue the example. So, in step 2 I decided my first major milestone would be to write a (super, very much) rough first draft of my book. My simple steps are as follows:
- Participate in a book writing course (I already have one picked out and when I’m going to join)
- Write 1x per week
That’s it. Simple, manageable, realistic, and achievable. I’m excited because, for the first time, something as daunting and straight-up terrifying as writing my own book and becoming a published author finally feels within reach for me. These are goals I can get pumped about, not get too stressed out over, and therefore not procrastinate & actually work on them.
The 2 to 3 steps you write here will be what you are actually focusing on in 2022. You can write these separately on another piece of paper, away from the goal and milestone they’re attached to. (I do that because it helps me feel less stressed about the BIG thing I’m working towards and it helps me focus on what I need to do right now.)
Now, go smash those goals in 2022!
Let’s put it all together from the example:
- BIG life goal: Become a published author
- First Major Milestone: Write a rough first draft
- 2-3 Steps in 2022: Take a book writing course & write 1x per week
Super simple, very manageable. My over-achieving brain feels un-stressed and actually excited about working towards this! This is the vibe you’re going for. If you still feel super stressed or like you’re a bit lost, maybe you need to revisit step 2 and adjust your first major milestone a bit so that it feels more manageable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the action, maybe cut back on some of the simple steps for next year. Make this work for you.
And, remember: you don’t actually have to listen to anyone’s goal-setting advice.
Ultimately, you need to follow a method that works for you because it’s tailored for you. Do some exploring this month to figure out what that might be. Mix and match different methods out there until you find one that makes you feel at peace and like you can conquer your heart’s desire.
2022 is the year friends. Let’s get it.
Stay Stellar,
