5 Goal Setting Traps you Don’t want Fall into

AUTHOR

Steven Burns

Hi! I’m Steven. I’m a professional therapist, coach, trainer & author with over 20 years experience. I teach the latest psychological tools and techniques to help you transform and make a difference.

love to set goals, but I have to admit that the subject can often be presented in a manner that’s somewhat ‘dry’ or ‘cold’.

Especially if you do it as part of your PDP (Professional Development plan) at work during your end-of-year review.

Ugh!

But goal setting shouldn’t be like this.

When it’s done properly it can be an exhilarating process. It can light up your neurology in a way that makes you want to move mountains.

If you’re looking to create more powerful goals, ones that affect you and trigger large amounts of motivation & desire, you might want to check that you’re not falling into one – or more – of the following traps:

Trap 1: Over-Emphasis on Material Wealth

Too much emphasis on material wealth, like earning a 6-figure income, obtaining a mansion & buying a Ferrari.

Material wealth is important, for sure, and some people are motivated by money, but it’s generally the wrong place to start when you’re setting goals & missions.

You want to start off by examining the elements of experience that are meaningful to you.

Trap 2: Heavily Driven by Social Expectation

The goal is designed from the ‘Outside-in’ and is influenced too much by social expectation. 

The goal-setter allows the goals of others to dictate the goals that they choose to create and pursue.

There’s nothing wrong with using other people as ‘inspiration’ of course, but the goals that really matter are the ones that resonate deeply within so it’s crucial to design them predominately from the ‘Inside-out’.

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Trap 3: Not aligning the Goal with your Deepest Values & Passions

One of the big mistakes people make is to create goals that don’t mean much to them – ones that don’t fit with their values & passions. The upshot of this is that the goals don’t spark the motivation, desire and passion required to make them a reality.

Goals – especially ambitious ones – require a lot of energy. To harness this energy we need to make sure that the goal fits with our most important values.

Trap 4: The Process is too Cerebral

The goal-setting process is just too dry and ‘thinky’! You set a goal that looks good on paper but it doesn’t affect your neurology.

Great goals make an impact on the way that you feel. They become alive in your body in a way that compels you to take consistent action – and to also enjoy the process of doing so!

Trap 5: Too Narrow a Focus - not thinking big picture

Most traditional goal-setting advice focuses too heavily on specificity. You’re shown how to create a highly target goal which is useful, but what’s often left out is how to fit this specific goal into the bigger picture.

As a result, many people get lost in the detail and forget why they’re looking to achieve the goal in the first place.

Closing Comments

So if you want to create more purpose-driven goals that really pack a punch then make sure you’re not falling into 1 – or more – of these traps.

Also, if you’re interested in mastering the goal-setting process, then check out this 3-hour online training.

It’s called Clarity: master goal setting & live a purpose-driven life and it’s a deep-dive into the goal-setting process and how to do it in a way that fits with your values, purposes, and desires.

Be well. Stay safe. And Keep Learning.

Steven

Clarity: Master Goal Setting & Live a Purpose-driven Life

 

Figure out your most important values so you

Learn Meaningful Goals that pack a punch. 

Create goals that light up your neurology and trigger a sense of consistent desire &                motivation.

Stop setting goals that unwittingly lead to self-sabotage & inner conflict.

Create a personal mission.

Fit your goals into your greater purpose(s).

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