Goal Setting Is My Kryptonite

I am really, really good at finding new and old things that need to be done. I’ve gotten fairly decent at writing them down and reviewing them quarterly, but rarely do they become actionable. More likely, they sit on a list and never move.

Why?

I ask myself this question again and again. Like a puzzle missing a few pieces, I have the big picture but I lacked the important details to complete my goals and projects.

Let me explain. I create a goal, for which I use the Getting Things Done definition — an achievement with a 3-5 year time frame.

Breaking that future achievement into smaller goals, sometimes referred to a sprint goals, is easy enough. Finally, developing projects to be completed within 1-2 years is easy enough to sketch out on paper.

I do struggle with the smaller sub projects, those items that can be completed within 1 month to 1 year.

Why is this so difficult?

I think that day-to-day overwhelm is a problem. I have time, but it is often fractured and it is very difficult to get into a flow state. Constant interruptions in my personal life and lack of space to be alone to work on things is difficult.

How do I overcome these obstacles?

I came across this goal setting process and it shows promise. This is the first easily digestible explanation for setting goals and keeping them within a workable framework that measures progress.

I am using the template on this page to set my sub projects for the next quarter. I will review my successes/failures at the beginning of the next quarter. By the way, my quarter begins in March and not January. I find the end of the year with its holidays and its rush into dreary weather not conducive to the positive mindset needed for successful planning.