Activity goals lead to results

For a long time, I fell into the “results” trap in setting goals. The goal we are working towards, of course, is a result. But the result is not the same as the goal. I like to think of the result as the objective of our work and the goals are the activities that we do to hit the objective.

Let me give you an example.

Let’s say you have a personal health goal of losing 10-pounds. If you were using the SMART goal setting approach, you would create your goal to say something like this:

“Weigh 150 pounds by December 1^st, 2008.”

How does that measure up to our SMART goal:

• Specific? Check.
• Measurable? Check.
• Attainable. Check.
• Relevant? Check.
• Time-bound? Check.

A great goal, right?

The problem with this goal is that it sets you up to “wish” the goal into place. The goal in and of itself doesn’t require you to DO anything. Simply weigh 145 pounds by December 1^st, 2008.

The trap comes from believing we have set up a great goal and then not following through with the activities necessary to lose the ten pounds. By building activity goals, we have a much better chance of achieving our objective of losing ten pounds.

Building out activities as goals

So, a better set of goals to reach our ten pound weight objective:

• Exercise 30-minutes on the treadmill six days a week.
• Consume no more than 2,178 calories pa day (this for 150 pound person so you would be eating the right number of calories to sustain a 150 pound person…editor).

Each of these goals also reflects the SMART approach to goal setting. But being activities to do every day, you have a better chance of hitting your objective of losing the weight.

Even if your manager pushes you to the “results” goal, make sure you build the activity goals necessary to make the objective. Then you won’t “wish upon a goal” and fail to make the objective everyone wants.

Want to leave some goals in the comments and we’ll see if they are activity or results goals?

Scot

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