Making sure a goal is Specific and Measurable is the science of Effective Goal Setting
Understanding the Motivation underlying a goal is the art of Effective Goal Setting
Ask yourself, or others you manage the following questions…
Is achieving or doing the goal a reward in itself?
Sometimes, that may be the motivation for the goal.
What does working on this goal do to your energy level?
Do you find that this goal drains you or fills you up?
What do you find joyful about this goal?
Is there a source of joy with the goal that you are working on?
Why do you want to achieve this goal?
If you achieve it, what would that give you?
Is it possible for the goal to satisfy these three basic psychological needs?
- Feeling that you have a choice; the perception that the goal is freely chosen and that you have control over accepting it and pursuing it?
- Feeling of being connected in a meaningful way to others involved in the goal; that you are contributing to something greater than yourself?
- Feeling that you are gaining mastery over challenges; that you are growing and learning?
You’re always motivated in one way or another, but it is important to understand the type of motivation you have that makes a goal SMART. When you’re optimally motivated, you can relate your goal to something you truly enjoy, or that is meaningful to you. You are more likely to sustain motivation over time and achieve your goal with a positive sense of well-being.
People who are optimally motivated to achieve their goal will…
- Be less dependent on external incentives they have no control over
- Not depend on what others have or are willing to give
- Be more likely to sustain commitment over the long term
- Act from their “authentic self” rather than from compliance
Is it possible that this goal will never be intrinsically motivating?
If yes, then how do you gain motivation for this goal?
Do you need something other than the achievement of this goal to spur you into action?
If yes, what is it?
Do you need something from others or the organization to reward you for achieving this goal?
If yes, what is it?
