1. Start with the End in Mind
To ensure that you make goals that matter, stand back and examine your life from a broader perspective. Think about the happy ending you would like to achieve, the "E" in ENVISION, and work backwards to determine how you’ll get there. For example, if you'd like to generate goals for yourself over the next five years, write down where you’d like to be professionally and personally five years from now. Let nothing hold you back. Just keep that pen moving and see where it leads you. Where do you see yourself in relation to work? What’s your family life like? What type of friends and social support group do you have? What are your hobbies? How is your health? Next, ask yourself where you would like to be one year from now relative to what you'd like to accomplish in five years. Write the answer out in enough detail so that it seems real to you. Then ask yourself where you’d like to be three months from now. Be specific. What about one month? One week? What one small action could you take this week to come closer to achieving your master plan? If this exercise seems daunting, don't worry. It’s actually a fun and eye-opening way to line up your goals with the bigger picture of your life so that you won’t waste your precious time on passing fancies and other people’s agendas. I've used it with thousands of workshop participants who have rocked their lives. It will work for you, too!2. Create Nested Goals
The most efficient way to achieve your goals is to nest action items inside them, the first "N" in ENVISION. Get specific about when, where, and how you’ll reach your objectives by breaking them down into subgoals. Make your aspirations challenging but not too hard. Each one should be measurable. Instead of writing “I’d like to write a book,” try setting an intention such as “I’d like to write two hours a day four times a week” and mark space on your calendar for it. Make your aims positive. Instead of “I’d like to quit my stinking job,” think about what a desirable career would look like. Try “I’d like to develop educational toys with like-minded people in a virtual office” and then send out your résumé to companies with matching job openings. Come up with alternative pathways to your goals so that if one doesn’t work, you'll already have plan B in place. It’s normal to fail and experience setbacks. This goal-oriented strategy will help you move forward on the pathway to your dreams no matter what happens.3. Get Clear on Your Values
Before you start setting goals, it’s important to ask yourself what you really value, the "V" in ENVISION. In my creativity workshops, I’ve found that most people don’t get what they want in life because they’re playing out someone else’s idea of who they should be. The number one regret of people on their deathbed is that they did not live their dreams. Don’t let that be you. To avoid living a life full of shoulds and obligations, make a wish list. Jot down what you really want and put all the reasons you think you can’t have it aside. These aspirations can range from the material (such as a new car) to the psychological (high self-worth), to the spiritual (inner peace), to — well — pretty much anything you can think of. What kind of life would be music to your ears? It doesn’t matter whether it seems unattainable or even downright crazy. Giving yourself permission to daydream about a rich and fulfilling life is the first step to getting it. Be sure your goals speak to your soul.4. Make Time for Inspiration
As you put your goals together, think about how you can find downtime to receive inspiration in your life, the first "I" in ENVISION. Americans put in the longest work hours and get the shortest paid vacation time in the developed world. Those of us “lucky” enough to have jobs have added another day to our work week because we now check work emails and calls from home. It’s no wonder we try to stuff everything we can’t do at work into our off hours. But the second regret of the dying is that they wished they didn’t work so hard. Research shows that people who engage in creative hobbies and side projects are happier and flourish more in life because they can generate new ideas and express themselves uniquely.((HuffPost: Why Finding Time Each Day For Creativity Makes You Happier)) Feeling energized and playful, they get more done in less time, become better problem solvers, and receive better evaluations at work.((NPR: Got A Hobby? Might Be A Smart Professional Move)) Make balance a priority in your goal-oriented life. Start a hobby or side project to rejuvenate yourself after the workday ends. Paint, play hockey or try a new dinner recipe. Doing something you love for just a couple of hours a week can significantly improve your life. Like steering a ship slightly to the right, over time you’ll arrive at the destination YOU desire.5. Form Goals Around Your Superpowers
Research shows that people are more likely to succeed when they develop their natural strengths, the "S" in ENVISION, than work on their weaknesses. If you don’t know where your true talents lie, try using assessment tools such as Gallup’s CliftonStrengths and psychologist Martin Seligman’s Character Strengths to discover your personal strengths. You can also find your superpowers by answering these questions. Each of us has a unique purpose in life. Most of us don’t realize it, though, because we’ve been pressured to conform to someone else’s idea of who we should be. Fear of change and staying in our comfort zones stunts our growth. Stretch yourself and take a risk if you want to find out what makes your heart sing. Make an action plan to create a life in which you express your superpowers on a regular basis, whether it be through your vocation, a meaningful side project, a worthy cause, mindful parenting, volunteer work, or whatever else sparks your interest. This goal-oriented strategy guarantees you'll thrive at work and at home.6. Make Time for Intimates
When setting your goals, be sure to carve out time for your intimates, the second "I" in ENVISION. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "intimate" as “a very close friend or confidant: an intimate friend." The fourth regret of the dying is that they were too busy to see their friends much.((Bronnie Ware: Regrets of the Dying)) Make it a point to connect with real friends, people you can turn to for sympathy when you need it, confide in about most things, and be your true self around. A few weeks ago, I suffered from an “eye stroke” and suddenly lost vision in my left eye. I'd moved to Portland nine months before and only knew one busy family I didn’t want to overburden. I was super lonely. Because of my vision loss, I needed to ask for rides from people I barely knew to attend meetings of some of the groups I'd joined. These acquaintances are now turning into friends. I couldn’t have made it without their help and the support of friends I've known for years scattered around the globe. A new Cigna study shows that nearly half of Americans feel alone or left out.((CISION: New Cigna Study Reveals Loneliness at Epidemic Levels in America)) According to Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad at Brigham Young University, the detrimental effects of loneliness is the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.((American Psychological Association: Julianne Holt-Lunstad Probes Loneliness, Social ConnectionsJulianne Holt-Lunstad Probes Loneliness, Social Connections)) She warns that:“Loneliness and social isolation are linked to around a 30 percent increased risk of having a stroke or developing coronary artery disease.”((BMJ Journals: Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for CVD: implications for evidence-based patient care and scientific inquiry ))I should know. Being with your friends is not only good for your soul, but it is also essential for your health and well-being. Put it in your goals.
7. Open Up Emotionally
When crafting your goals, be sure to include ways you can open up about your feelings, the "O" in ENVISION. The third regret of the dying is that they wish they’d had the courage to express their true feelings instead of stuffing their emotions down to keep peace with others. To lead a fulfilling life, it’s important to prioritize talking and behaving honestly with others instead of hiding your true feelings. According to Dr. Leslie Becker-Phelps,((Psychology Today: Nurture Happiness With Four Life-Changing Considerations))“Start with identifying your emotions (e.g. angry, hurt) and understanding what triggered you to feel this way.”She recommends you try to understand your feelings and practice self-compassion for having them. When you’re calmer, try to understand the person who upset you. What are their emotions? What triggered them? This will help you respect and care about yourself and the other person. If there is someone you need to talk to or a situation you'd like to resolve, honor your feelings. Whether it be writing a letter or making a phone call or visiting someone you haven’t seen in years, put it on your goal list. Be sure to meet in a safe environment if you're confronting someone who has abused or harmed you. Tell the truth as you see it and try to be kind. Sharing your genuine feelings may bring you closer together and it may not. It doesn’t really matter how the other person responds. What matters is that you expressed your true self, that you did it for YOU. Make emotional honesty a habit by adding it to your goals.
8. Nurture Happiness
To be more goal oriented and succeed in life, nurture the people and activities that bring you joy, the final "N" in ENVISION. The fifth regret of people on their deathbed is that they wished they’d let themselves be happier. Instead, they stayed stuck in old patterns and pretended to be content when they weren’t. If you don’t like your job, make it a goal to look for a new position that aligns your paycheck with your purpose. If you are entrepreneurially-minded, think about turning your passion project into a business you love. If you have multiple passions, consider pursuing a slash career (e.g., copywriter/coder/career coach). According to Forbes Magazine, many companies are beginning to see the value in hiring employees who have side gigs that differ from their main vocations. You’ll bring in multiple streams of income and experience more meaning and fulfillment to your life.((Forbes: What Are 'Slash' Careers And Why You Need One)) If you are unhappy with your marriage or romantic relationship, set a goal to do something about it. Do you need to go to counseling? Do you need to move on? If you’re on the fence about whether to keep a friend in your life, be goal oriented about getting closure on the issue. Take care of yourself in the process by taking yoga classes or getting a much-needed massage. Whatever you do, make it a goal to show compassion as often as you can because it will boost your happiness.((Mayo Clinic: How compassion can boost your happiness)) Dr. Amit Sood defines “compassion" as:"Your ability to experience others' feelings — from joy to sorrow — with a desire to help.”By helping others in need, you not only can decrease their suffering, but you can also make yourself happier than you could by directly pursuing activities to make you happy.
Final Thoughts
In summary, the ENVISION method shows you how to blend lessons from the five regrets of the dying with effective goal setting techniques that center around your strengths to become goal oriented. It includes:- Endgame — Asking yourself where you want to be in 5 years, 1 year, now.
- Nesting — Creating positive, specific, measurable subgoals.
- Values — Building your goals around what truly matters to you.
- Inspiration — Making time for meaningful hobbies and side projects.
- Superpowers — Orienting your life plan around your unique strengths.
- Intimates — Spending time with close friends and family.
- Openness — Being honest about your feelings.
- Nourishment — Nurturing people and activities that bring you joy.
“What you seek is seeking you.
More About Goals Setting
- How to Create an Action Plan and Achieve Your Personal Goals
- 10 Personal Development Goals for Success and Happiness
- How to Use SMART Goal to Become Highly Successful in Life
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