Career Goal Setting Strategy, we are bombarded with messaging about setting and reaching goals. An interesting subject—this goal stuff.
My client, Peg, was a hopeful entrepreneur. We coached through strategies and action plans. Her dream turned into reality. From day one, her business enjoyed jet-speed growth. Success? Yikes! Peg was one stressed-out lady, because she was working like a dog, with hours and “jobs” she had not foreseen.
In working with Peg and clients in similar situations—getting the goal they thought they wanted and finding it didn’t bring the happiness hoped for— I’ve learned a Career Goal Setting Strategy secret: Insert adjectives!
Career Goal Setting Strategy: How three words could make your dreams come true
Goals usually contain nouns and verbs. “I want success.” “I want that promotion.” On a non-career note: “I want to get married.” Noun-verb goals are tricky because they bring about imagined situations versus experiences. There’s a difference. Experiences are what we really want. Peg expected the business success alone to make her feel good. She never thought about what would happen after the goal.
Career Goal Setting Strategy: Brainstorming
Using adjectives in goal setting requires some brainstorming. Here’s the gist:
- Pick a goal. The typical noun-verb goal, something you’ve often yearned for. Be honest. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds rather than solve world hunger, that’s okay.
- Stare into the future. Imagine what your life would be like if you achieved the goal you just pinpointed. Create an in-depth daydream about it. What does it look, feel, sound and even feel like? Then, it’s time for the defining words.
- Pick at least 3 adjectives. List adjectives that describe how you feel in your dream-come-true. You translate right-brain holistic sensations (“I want success”) into left-brain words that accurately portray the experience (thrilled, focused, confident, energetic, etc.). Don’t stop until you have at least three. More is fine.
- Think of something that can be expressed with your adjectives. Forget the fantasy situation you imagined in #2 and focus on the adjectives. Okay. You said you want to drop those 20 pounds. Your adjectives are healthy, strong and confident. This could reveal that your actual goal is to get fit. So how you lose those pounds might be with a nutritionist and personal trainer versus a diet of pills or quick fixes.
Career Goal Setting Strategy: Apply the Adjectives
Peg and I had another session around her business and the fact that while invigorating and profitable, it was draining. I asked Peg to share the adjectives she had imagined entrepreneurship would bring her. She replied, “Calm, happy and safe.” It was ironic that her business had brought her opposite feelings of unrest, anxiety and insecurity (feeling like she’d lose it all if she didn’t work herself into a frenzy).
But when she examined her life for relationships and activities that were aligned with her three top adjectives, a loving husband and family, dancing, sewing, her dogs—they all rose to the surface. “I had successes before success. Can you beat that!?” I just smiled, really happy for her. Peg was then able to more realistically deal with her business demands. She allotted more time with those people, animals and activities that brought the feelings she wanted.
It’s worked for me and clients since. Finding adjectives. Using them to highlight areas of life we’re already drawn to. Focusing on these people and activities. Allowing the experiences—not just the situations—to find shape and place in our lives. Abracadabra!
