A lot of us see the start of the year as the best time to set goals while some others are skilled at setting sporadic goals and taking any chance they get to set a goal.
Regardless of your method of setting goals, they must first conform to general rules of goal setting as discussed here, as well as have a structured plan for achieving and periodically assessing your goals.
Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success”.
Pablo Picasso
Assessing our goals is critical to the progress of your set goal, it involves keeping track of what you have accomplished and working on what you are yet to accomplish.
Assessing goals can be a brutally honest process where you are forced to ask yourself some tough self-assessing questions such as;
- Is this where I need to be?
- If I continue this path, will it lead to me reaching my goal?
- Is there a legitimate reason why I have not yet reached my goal?
- If I’m not where I need to be, what do I need to do differently?
- Who is best equipped to help me reach my goal?
- Now that I am where I should be, how do I ensure I can maintain momentum?
- How can I reward myself or celebrate my success?
Part of this process also involves us accepting that sometimes reality can get in the way of our dreams and goals, and this often leads to adjustments either in the goals themselves, the techniques/app or in the timeline we have set out to achieve them.
How to assess your set goals
In assessing set goals, three important areas are often focused on;
– Evaluate your Goal Progress:
The first step to assessing your set goals is to evaluate how well your goals are currently progressing.
For Instance, if you have set a goal to transition to tech over the next two years, that goal should be broken down into smaller goals with shorter timelines; such as taking courses and getting certifications, applying for internships, getting a mentor in tech, look out for job openings etc.
To evaluate goal progress, you must look at these goals critically, to answer the following questions;
- Which goals have you made progress on?
- Which goals are you struggling with?
– Evaluate your goal-achievement Techniques:
This step helps you take a closer look at how you intend to achieve your goals. It is done by asking yourself the following questions;
- How have you met your goals?
- How can you apply this technique to the goal you are struggling with?
- How can you evaluate when you succeed and when you fail?
For instance, in your tech transition journey, what techniques are you applying to achieve your goals? What platforms are you searching for and taking courses on? Are they paid courses or free?
How are you approaching potential mentors? what are your job search techniques?
This assessment helps to determine what works and what doesn’t and gives you a chance to make changes as you continue to work at achieving your goals.
– Adjust your timeline
In adjusting your timeline, you factor in how things have changed and reality has affected your goals.
From evaluating your goals and techniques you are able to tell there are setbacks and how much your goals need to be adjusted to fit the new reality.
If finding and obtaining certifications is taking longer than expected due to financial and/or time constraints, can your transition still be complete in two nears? Or is an extra 6 months needed to make up for the unavailability of time and funds?
Best practices for assessing set goals
The following practices make your goals easier to assess and review periodically;
- Make your goals measurable
- Include a deadline for your goals
- Focus on the lead measure
- Constantly track your progress
Benefits of assessing your set goals
There are only upsides to assessing your set goals, many of which further improve your chances of achieving your goals. You can make adjustments, knowing how close you are to your goals and how to achieve them faster.
It also affords you the opportunity to anticipate your needs as regards to your goals, keeps you motivated, and sets you up for success.
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On a scale of 1 – 10, how would you rate the progress of your current set goals?
What actions do you plan to take to assess your set goals?