We Prepare Goals, But Are They the Right Ones?

Read the average person’s weekly task list or “I must” and you might fall asleep from boredom and lack of energy. You might read…

But what’s wrong with them? At the end of the day will you be jazzed by completing them? Likely no. What is missing? How can you give yourself a little boost of energy? The answer: Ask yourself why you need to do a specific task, and work to give your goal a boost of meaning. Elevate the importance.

A lot of people skate through life feeling unfulfilled and without energy in their work. Most of us are focused on the activity and not the “why” behind it. Alternatively, the people who DO feel fulfilled on a weekly, daily, yearly basis, tend to think, plan and do relative to the “why” of what they are trying to get done.

Of course, it is easier to take the checklist approach versus taking a little bit longer to shape your goals as the outcome you are trying to accomplish, but it’s worth it. When you flip the lights of your office off on a Friday night and walk out the door, you want to feel fulfilled. You can leave with the endorphins pumping knowing that your work ties into the larger picture and is making a difference for helping your company achieve its vision.

And here’s a trick, write down your “I musts…” for the next week before you leave the office. It’s ok if you want to start out with a brain dump and write down the laundry list of things you need to get done, then pick the most important and articulate the “why” behind them.

For more information, consider reading “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek or sign up for The Exec’s Program to learn these skills.