How To Turn Your Wishes Into Goals: Three-Part Framework To Move You Forward

Using the art and science of goal-setting

Photo by Ronnie Overgoor on Unsplash

Hello friend! 👋

Welcome to this week’s newsletter - it feels so long since last Sunday with all the daily writing. Fun times!

Before we start, I’m running a quick survey:

I’ve got few requests to narrate the newsletter so you can listen to it while driving or simply when not in the mood to read. If you’d like that too please do let me know in replying to this email or in the comments of this post to gauge if that’s something my readers want. 🙏

Onto our focus for the week - Goals!

This is a topic I’m deeply passionate about, not only because I’m ambitious like you are, but because there is both a science and art to it.

Science tells us the hard-proven ways, and art tells us the hidden gems.

Let’s dive straight in!

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🔎 BE SPECIFIC

There is nothing more damaging to your goals than dispersed energy.

Remember when we were kids and we used to burn paper using just sunlight and a piece of glass magnifier?

Well, your energy is no different than those rays - when focused it can create massive impact and when dispersed it may go unnoticed.

Whatever your goal is, make sure it gets all your energy - there’s two ways our of this;

1. It is the right goal and you move really fast which starts a beautiful virtuous cycle of achievement and motivation.

2. It is the wrong goal and you move really fast which gives you the beautiful gift of moving on to the next thing without wasting any more time.

Science also tells us that if we are specific about the goals we want, like REALLY specific, then we can get 40% higher chance in achieving them.

So decide exactly what the next step is, when you will do it, for how long, where, and how often (weekly, daily, etc…) to boost your chances.

Pre-commit and block it on the calendar. Please stop piling up to-do lists (a topic for another day)

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🧼 RUB IT AGAINST REALITY

Science also tells us that a goal without a plan is merely a wish.

My number-one dislike for modern-day commercialized affirmations is that they have absolutely no plan.

I believe more in affirm-ACTIONs.

If you take that wish, truly identify the way it will make you feel and rub it against reality, then you are well equipped to set a plan on how move forward with the right actions.

A goal without a plan is a wish.

A plan coupled with action becomes a reality.

So have the courage to dream big as we talked in our Jumpstart January series (do you recall our main points?)

Take that big dream and rub it against the different obstacles that can come in its way - try to focus on the internal obstacles (fear, complacency, lack of motivation, busy schedule, etc…) and set a pre-determined plan on how you will overcome them.

IF this…. Then that…

Psychologists call these “Implementation Intentions” - to pre-commit with intention on the way you will deal with forecasted adversities.

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✂️ DETACH FROM THE OUTCOME

Here’s some art, and a beautiful paradox.

I love paradoxes as the ultimate form of learning - when presented with a paradox we can’t help but let go of any judgment / resistance and really just allow our awareness to hold both possibilities alive at once.

A beautiful dance of possibilities through which a deeper level of wisdom can be attained.

The paradox is that the highest outcomes are achieved by letting go of them.

Why?

Because as I shared in the previous post, when your mind is not busy “craving, wishing, complaining, worrying, forecasting, overthinking, theorizing…. fill in the blanks” it frees up energy.

And as we said, focusing this energy on what matters - which in this case is the hard work, moment-to-moment, without which an outcome is inevitable.

Psychologists also call this the Lead vs Lag measure

A Lag measure: is an outcome that results from the activity (think your “shares” in business, or “popularity” in social media, or your “weight” in physical attributes)

A Lead measure: is a the activity that allows the outcome to be achieved (examples for the above; innovation for business, service for social media, exercise for physical attributes).

Your lag measures are great indicators of progress (or lack of), but not ingredient for it. Focus on your lead measures and accumulate incremental improvements.

Do you have any specific goal you’re currently working on and want to Supercharge?

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Survey your goals in life and if you feel like it try these three simple steps to accelerate your progress and focus your energy.

With that I want to wish you a great week ahead.

With much joy,

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

Hashim