SETTING GOALS
In our consultation, the leadership felt that the setting and measuring of goals should be left to the individual.
This does pose some challenges for keeping people motivated. However, possible suggestions are made in the implementation section. See IMPLEMENTATION.
With out the proper setting of goals, people will feel adrift and find it hard to commit to a "next step". Helping them set their goals will give them the power of focus and eliminate distractions.
The setting of goals will require the person to have long-term vision and will give them short term motivation. It will require and help them to organise themselves and maximise their time.
To set goals, people have to start with the long term first and work back to the next step. The difference between a goal and just a list of next steps is that a goal puts a time to the next step. This is why the pathways is important to define as it helps people set the intermittent goals along the way.
The following is what a person would do to set some goals
Step 1: Set some long term goals.
Step 2: Setting Smaller Goals - Once you have set your long term goals, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you need to complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan.
Step 3 - Assign a timeframe - Create a one-year plan, six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goals. Each of these should be based on the previous plan.
Step 4 - Reduce it to a daily next step - Then create a daily "To Do List" of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals.
At an early stage, your smaller goals might be to read books and gather information on the achievement of your higher level goals. This will help you to improve the quality and realism of your goal setting.
Once you've decided on your first set of goals, keep the process going by reviewing and updating your To-Do List on a daily basis.
A useful way of making goals more powerful is to use the SMART mnemonic. While there are plenty of variants (some of which I've included in parenthesis), SMART usually stands for:
Further Goal setting tips can be found in an Article in the LEADERSHIP THOUGHTS AND RESOURCES section.
If the goal was a significant one, reward yourself appropriately. Rewards are very important for keeping one motivated. See section MOTIVATION
In order to make the next steps program tangible in AHCC, the best way is to obtain commitment is via writing the "next step" goals down.
I would suggest using the Goal Setting Form. The goal setting form can be downloaded here, or off the LEADERSHIP THOUGHTS & RESOURCES This can be done through either in small groups or it can be attempted in a large group setting such as a Sunday morning service.
This does pose some challenges for keeping people motivated. However, possible suggestions are made in the implementation section. See IMPLEMENTATION.
With out the proper setting of goals, people will feel adrift and find it hard to commit to a "next step". Helping them set their goals will give them the power of focus and eliminate distractions.
The setting of goals will require the person to have long-term vision and will give them short term motivation. It will require and help them to organise themselves and maximise their time.
To set goals, people have to start with the long term first and work back to the next step. The difference between a goal and just a list of next steps is that a goal puts a time to the next step. This is why the pathways is important to define as it helps people set the intermittent goals along the way.
The following is what a person would do to set some goals
Step 1: Set some long term goals.
Step 2: Setting Smaller Goals - Once you have set your long term goals, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you need to complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan.
Step 3 - Assign a timeframe - Create a one-year plan, six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals that you should reach to achieve your lifetime goals. Each of these should be based on the previous plan.
Step 4 - Reduce it to a daily next step - Then create a daily "To Do List" of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals.
At an early stage, your smaller goals might be to read books and gather information on the achievement of your higher level goals. This will help you to improve the quality and realism of your goal setting.
Once you've decided on your first set of goals, keep the process going by reviewing and updating your To-Do List on a daily basis.
A useful way of making goals more powerful is to use the SMART mnemonic. While there are plenty of variants (some of which I've included in parenthesis), SMART usually stands for:
- S – Specific (or Significant).
- M – Measurable (or Meaningful).
- A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
- R – Relevant (or Rewarding).
- T – Time-bound (or Trackable).
Further Goal setting tips can be found in an Article in the LEADERSHIP THOUGHTS AND RESOURCES section.
If the goal was a significant one, reward yourself appropriately. Rewards are very important for keeping one motivated. See section MOTIVATION
In order to make the next steps program tangible in AHCC, the best way is to obtain commitment is via writing the "next step" goals down.
I would suggest using the Goal Setting Form. The goal setting form can be downloaded here, or off the LEADERSHIP THOUGHTS & RESOURCES This can be done through either in small groups or it can be attempted in a large group setting such as a Sunday morning service.
ahcc_goal_setting_form.docx | |
File Size: | 115 kb |
File Type: | docx |
CONCLUSION
Helping people set goals is a way of securing commitment to the "Next Steps" program. Setting of goals will be most powerful when it is also made accountable to some small group or another person. An important part of goal setting is assigning time frames to people's next steps then also remembering to reward yourself for achieving those goals, The suggestion here is to get people to set goals by filling out some type of form.
DZ PERSONAL COMMENTS
Don't sell ourselves short. For the secular person, the setting of goals is a product of belief in their own ability and capabilities. For the Christian, the next step more often than not is a step of faith that depends on God for it's accomplishment. I would strongly encourage the leadership to encourage people to make their next step a step of faith.
If you would like more discussion on this point go NOTE 4 in the "THEOLOGICAL" section.
If you would like more discussion on this point go NOTE 4 in the "THEOLOGICAL" section.