Traditional goal setting is the process defining an outcome and building a plan to achieve that result. Steps are logical and based on a series of activities that lead to the desired outcome. Goals are used to guide your decisions and to monitor your progress. According to Mind Tools, goals are a requirement for success.
Process
Goal setting performed in the traditional manner requires you to follow a process that includes short and long-term objectives. Short-term goals should contribute to the achievement of the long-term goal. The process includes regular evaluation so that adjustments can be made as situations change and you learn about your limitations.
Time Frame
Traditional goal setting requires deadlines. For example, a five-year plan may include six-month, one-year and three year short-term goals that should be met to achieve success. According to Mind Tools, deadlines are motivators that provide a sense of urgency and keep you on track.
Features
Goals are written to solidify their relevance and to remind you of your commitments. Writing makes goals real and tangible and helps to trigger your memory when you are faced with decisions. You can use your written objectives to measure your success when a deadline is reached.
Expert Insight
According to the business consultants at Mind Tools, goals should be personal and include objectives about which you can be passionate. Setting goals to placate other people is a recipe for failure because you won't be motivated to complete your plan. Goals that align with your own values and interests keep you focused on what's important and deter you from getting sidetracked with fads and outside pressure.
Warning
Goals must be flexible to meet changing circumstances. You must leave room to evaluate your goals based on experience and short-term results. According to the Harvard Business School, traditional goals can sometimes be self-defeating because they promote narrow-mindedness that can exclude important objectives that were overlooked in the goal-setting process or deemed unimportant at the time. Too much focus on goals can promote cheating and may result in negative consequences when inordinate value is placed on achieving the goals.
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