[Article & Audio] Give Me a Goal, Any Goal
Give Me a Goal, Any Goal
It's not a secret that goal-oriented people tend to be more successful, happier, and more productive than people who just sort of float around like Forrest Gump's feather on the wind.
But setting, keeping, and actually attaining goals is a skill, and like any skill, there’s a right way to do it.
One thing you can do to make getting where you want to go easier is to separate your goals into one of two types: behavior-based goals or outcome-based goals.
If you're like me, you might be thinking, "What? I thought a goal was a goal was a goal, and now you're telling me that not only do I have to define my goals, I have to know what type of goal it is?"
Fear not; it's actually pretty simple, and knowing the difference between them can be the key to reaching them.
First up: behavior-based goals.
Behavior-based goals are typically changes you make to how you act.
For example, handling stress better, being nicer to others, and spending less time procrastinating are all examples of behavior-based goals.
They focus on how you actually feel and behave, rather than just looking solely at the outcome of your actions.
Behavior-based goals play into outcome-based goals, but they aren’t the same. When you change how you think and feel, you'll probably start to notice a change in results. But that’s not the focus; it’s just a nice side effect.
If you want to set behavior-based goals, think about how you feel when you’re doing certain things.
Do you get snippy with people in the mornings (me: yes... that not-a-morning-person thing), or do you feel tired when you’re trying to meet a deadline?
Focus on how you feel when you aren’t performing well, then make a conscious effort to change those feelings so you can be on your way to becoming more productive and, as a result, happier.
Next time, we'll tackle the second part of this goal-setting formula: outcome-based goals.
About the Author
✈✈Gina Longo is a former airline captain and flight instructor who flew as pilot in command on 3000+ flights and carried more than 75,000 people (and many pets) safely to their destinations. She then moved to Great Britain to instruct corporate pilots, later spending three years as an international solo traveller.
As a leadership development trainer and the creator of The Calmfident Leadership® System, Gina specializes in helping businesses reduce employee turnover by improving leadership skills, so bad bosses don't drive away good employees.
Her great love is German Shepherds, and as a proud U.S. Air Force brat, she tends to answer the question "Where are you from?" with an enigmatic "It depends."
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