Do I Need to Pivot or Adjust?

If you want to walk through, and more importantly work through, the goal setting process, you have to be willing to do some pivoting and adjusting of the goals that you set. 

If you look back to the last blog, we talked about stopping that rebellion and figuring out where to go from here. We looked at how to fix some of the issues and I told you that that might cause some ups and downs and that we’d talk about it … Well, that’s what we’re going to do today, we’re going to talk about it …

Let’s Talk About It

The reality of goal setting is that it's a lot like a brain dump and a master to do list because your goal is something that you want to do. And, in order for you to do it you need to make a list and a plan for how you're going to do it. This is where the idea that a goal is nothing more than a big brain dump session comes into play. If you’re willing to think of goal setting as brain dumping, creating to do lists, and making a plan, you can simplify the goal setting process a lot. 

With this process, you need to also be willing to reflect and to see if you need to adjust and pivot in your goals. But, let's start first with the idea of the goal setting process and getting this brain dump out, before you can look at the adjusting and pivoting in your goals.

Take what I've been telling you about making to do lists and think about what you need to do in terms of reverse engineering. Take some time to sit and just think about what it is you want to do, what it is that you want to accomplish and just write it out. 

When it comes to goal setting you have to also make sure that you're creating balance. That you're pushing yourself with your goals but that you're not making the goals so unrealistic that you're never going to get there. You don’t want to create a goal that makes you feel so overwhelmed that you give up on the goal, and that you don’t push yourself and try to get there.

Creating a Balance of Goals 

But how do you know if your goal is unrealistic or if it’s a stretch goal? That's truly a personal thing. 

You know that I'm not going to try to push a one size fits all approach for anybody because I don't believe that's what we need. I feel that's what's wrong with the world now and what's wrong with so much of what people put out there, that they're trying to say that this method is the end all be all and that's not the case. You have to find and do what works for you. 

Now, don’t think I’m just going to leave you hanging like that. I can give you some tips, tricks, and tools for you to figure out if this goal is a stretch goal or if this goal is unrealistic. You can ask yourself these questions, think about them, reflect on them, and then apply them to each of the goals that you’re thinking about. 

Well, you know what my favorite question to ask you is … Why? Why do you want this goal? Why do you want this thing? And, what is this goal going to do for you and those around you? 

Because if you're setting goals that are going to take you away from your family, from your friends, your business or whatever it is you're working to create this balance for, is that really a goal you want? You have to be willing to get real with yourself and what you want your life to look like, both in terms of the goal setting and the work that is going to take to get to the goals. That's the best way for you to figure out if your goal is balanced, a stretch goal, or an unrealistic goal. 

You have to know that getting to the goals that you’re setting is going to take work. However, is the amount of work it’s going to take to go after or get to that goal something that you're willing to truly put in the work for? And, what is that going to look like in the other areas of your life? That’s what it comes down to. Determining if a goal is a good goal, a stretch goal, or an unrealistic goal comes down to looking at the big picture as well as looking at the fine details of what it will take to get there, and then deciding how it fits.

Adjusting & Pivoting in Goals

Figuring out if you have to adjust or pivot in your goals is another exercise in self reflection. So you set this goal, and you thought it aligned with your priorities, with your goals, with what you wanted for your life, and you thought it fit with your life. But, now that you're working through it you see that maybe it doesn't or maybe it does but you’ve pushed a little too hard or a little too far, and now you want to scale back. That’s ok. 

Scaling back isn't giving up. It’s adjusting and it's pivoting. Both of which are ok. While you do want to have big, lofty goals, and you want to have goals that stretch you you don't want to have goals that stress you. Because the entire purpose of these goals is that by going after these goals and achieving these goals it’s going to make your life better, which will make your world better. 

But, if you're stressed out in the process of getting to the goals, are you really going to enjoy it once you get there? Hard work is hard work. It’s called work after all. But, you know that I'm not about the hustle mentality, I'm about being intentional about the things that you're setting out to do. This is so that while you're doing the work and while you're going after the goals, you're still able to prioritize yourself, your goals, and the things that are important to you in life. Be open and be willing to adjust, be willing to pivot, be willing to reflect. The more often you reflect on the goal and the work that you're doing, the quicker and easier it'll be for you to realize if it's time to adjust or pivot in the goal.

Making Prioritizing Self a Goal

Just like you set any other goals in life, business, or other areas, you have to make prioritizing self a goal as well. But, to do this, you have to reflect on what and how to prioritize self. Think of the different areas that you can, want, and need to prioritize self in. Then, think of questions that can be asked and used to prioritize self … The most important of which is why. Why do you want and need to prioritize self? What is the benefit in that? I mean, there’s so many benefits … But what is your why and what benefit do you see in it?

Yes, prioritizing self can be self care or it can be something else. Just because this month is coming to an end, your momentum and the energy that you started the year and the month with might be starting to wear off. Don’t let it! Get that momentum back.

And for those of you that never lost that momentum, great job! Keep the ball rolling and let it pick up even more speed and more momentum.

Whether you’re trying to get the momentum back or you're picking up speed with momentum, I can help you with prioritizing self. If you have a goal of prioritizing yourself more this year, let me help you!

You can work with me to prioritize yourself. In fact, working with me is prioritizing self! Because by making the decision to invest in yourself, you’re prioritizing self and taking the first step in a commitment to self. So if that’s you, if you’re ready, or even just curious, in how I can help you in and with this process, book your call now!

You've tested things out. How have they gone? Do you need to make some adjustments? 

I mean, it’s also time to set your goals for the next month, to check in and make sure that you’re on track with where you need to be, and if not, what you’re going to do to adjust that as well.

I’m working on some things for you! As a way for you to work through this, go deeper with it, and work through it in your life and a group setting and with a community. Because hearing and seeing it from another perspective, and what it looks like in other people's lives, allows you to see different approaches that might work for you. Like I said before, you know me and I'm not about the one size fits all, I'm about helping you figure out what works for you! If this sounds like something that you're interested in, let's talk about it. 

It’s time to ask yourself … Is it time to pivot or adjust? Do the work and find out …

~Coach Lee

Your Productivity & Accountability Coach