Goals

Having a goal can be extremely motivating.

Whatever it is – running a marathon, achieving a particular weight, having a certain bank balance – having a target focusses us in a way that few other things do.

And then bolting onto the goal some other scaffolding, like a penalty for failure, a support network that will encourage you or a reward for achievement increases the chances of you hitting that target.

But when the focus is all about the goal we overlook the obvious question: What next?

One reason that many people who lose weight often put it straight back on is simply because after achieving the goal there is no plan. The same thing happens with lottery winners who finish up in financial trouble. Because there is no next step. There is no new goal. So it all goes to shit.

The discipline and determination that we can marshall when we are in pursuit of a goal or vision is huge, but it evaporates on the achieving of the goal. We need a post goal plan. And 99% of the time we don’t have one.

I have just finished a 30 day writing challenge. Write something (and make it public) every day for 30 days.

Check. Job done.

But, “What’s next?” is the big question.

Without a plan I risk just drifting and wasting all the effort that I’ve already put into this.