Five Steps for Setting Manageable Goals

Work on New Goals

Work on new goals—that’s task number two in my Task Summary (see December’s post). I figured that should be straight-forward task. Yet writing the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals, stumped me. I wrote elaborate goals that seemed impossible to achieve. I wanted manageable goals. What does that term really mean? So first, let’s define terms.

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. Manageable: capable of being managed; easy to control or deal with. Synonyms are controllable and adaptable.
2. Goal: the end toward which effort is directed; something that one hopes or intends to accomplish. Synonyms are aim or target.

My Definition

A manageable goal is a target that is easy to control. It’s something I intend to do within a controllable deadline.

What’s needed to obtain manageable goals?

1. Pick your goal.
2. Decide on the project due date.
3. Write down the actions you’ll take to achieve the goal.
4. Add due dates for each action step.
5. Track your progress.

Some of my real-world goals:

• proofread six articles
• beta test a client’s online course
• update three policies
• analyze four procedures

Guiding questions for picking the project due date:

• How many hours will it take to reach the goal?
• Is the date realistic?
• When can I work on these action steps to get to this goal?

Tips for tracking progress:

• Use an electronic or hard copy checklist.
• Add the due dates to your calendar.

Visualize Success! Visualize what reaching your manageable goal looks like!