Why clarity is the most important in goal setting

Introduction 

You have a north star, you have your goals. But you’re still stuck doing nothing. Sound familiar? You lack clarity.

However, we’ve been programmed from a very young age to believe in productivity 24/7. None stop, from the moment you rise to the moment you go to bed. 

The downside to this, is that cracks form. No human can go on all day every day doing “productive” stuff. Common breaking points are escapism, no house cleaning or complaining about the to do list.

Yet you still have the sense of disorganisation. It just feels like you’re running around in circles like a headless chicken.

What is clarity?

Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of clarity is ‘the quality of being clear and easy to understand’.

I can hear you saying, “yeah, well that was obvious”. And I have to admit that too. But take a self assessment and see if the goals you set are clear and easy to understand. Actually do this, it’s important. 

Take a further step back, do you even have goals?

Hopefully you do. Having an organised board or page where you can physically tick off goals and tasks is a game changer.

Imagine you’re a sniper and you’ve got to make a shot from a mile away. 

• With clear goals, you’ve got a 4-16x scope. 
• Without clear goals, you didn’t bother to bring one. 

Clarity isn’t just about seeing the steps you need to take towards goals. It’s also having an understandable path in front of you. 

It would be the difference between trying to take the shot on a stormy day vs a clear day. 

Okay, enough of my analogies. 

Why should I bother with clarity?

I want to clarify further with how important it is to set clear and understandable goals. 

For most people, going out of the way to set up goals and tasks seems like a waste of time. Having your goal for the next 5 years, broken down into yearly goals, monthly goals, weekly goals and daily tasks is daunting. 

Plus, being so transparent is scary. There is the risk that you could fail your goal. Yet, if you “fail” to meet a goal or task, you now have data you use and improve.

Why and How did I fail? 

These questions will give you all the information needed on why you didn’t stick to your word. Having this accountability to yourself, if you’re honest, will keep you from not matching expectations again. 

In another way, you’ve set a goal that needs effort to complete in a specific time frame. The deadline makes it feel real. However, this only works if you really want the goal. Which is why most people don’t have any level of clarity. 

Breaking your goals down into tasks

The reason you set goals is to reach them. Yet how many times have you done a New Years resolution only to go back on your word a few weeks later? 

Firstly, saying something like “I want to get fitter this year” may feel good until you realise that it takes a lot of effort and time. And then you don’t even know what you mean by fitter. That could mean a few things.

Yet, if you set a definite goal with a timeframe, you have less reasons to back out. Say, “ I want to get a six pack by July 1st”. This is a clear and understandable goal. But how does one go about this?

If you headed to the gym with only this in mind, you’d probably quit within the month. 

Break it down. 

Every month I want to lose 6lbs of fat. This is better. Now for your weekly goals; I will go to the gym 3 times a week, doing 80% free weights and 20% intense cardio on each session. 

Then daily tasks, day 1 i will do Bench press 3×8 80kg, Overhead barbell press 3×8 60kg, skull crushers, 3×8 40kg. Then head to the treadmill, warm up 5 minutes, 3×30 second all out sprints with 2 minute rests in between…. You get the point.

Clear and understandable goals equal success 

Suddenly, the monumental goal of getting a six pack, assuming you train your abs, is now split up into quantifiable targets that you can tick off as you go. 

The benefit of having a plan laid out in front of you is that it stops a whirlwind of thoughts from happening. That feeling like you’re never doing enough. 

If these tasks are aligned with your North star, you get the chance to tick them off and make progress. It’s a whole lot easier to stick to a goal when you see your progress and daily tasks being completed.

The goal has been taken away from the mental and placed into the physical. 

Which is another benefit! Your goal is most likely in the material realm. So why not be able to track it in real life, not in a sorting file in your mind. 

Conclusion 

If you’re reading this and really want to get to your goals, then you’re ready to plan for them. 

For example, I wanted to become a social media personality in 2020, three years later I’m not even close. What went wrong? I didn’t set any plans or track data. 

I write this because I’ve felt what it’s like to come home and want to work on my projects, but have too much to do and then play a game instead. 

In this case, escaping was easier than sorting out what was in my head. 

When you organise and systematise goal setting, you have steps to take. Giant, easy steps that head to your North Star, that you want more than anything. I’m doing this now and It feels so good; no mental fog.

Now comes the definite decision. 

Will I take the path that I’ve planned or do I escape again?

I really hope you found this useful. If so, please share and comment in the section below. Here is a link to an earlier post if you’re interested!

Good Weather,

SoulSurfer.