A recent episode of the podcast Self Improvement Daily podcast “Your Next Step is Always Clearer Than Your First” got me thinking about goals in the context of the Hope Formula.
The podcast encouraged us to give ourselves permission to adjust our goals.
The point is that we only know so much at any given time.
Start with a goal and adjust as we learn.
The goals guide our behavior and can be adjusted as we move forward.
“Goals are writing in sand, not stone.”
– Jim Bunch
My Perspective
Previously, I have thought of the goals as the fixed element in the Hope Formula.
Hope = Goals + Willpower + Waypower
We work on our willpower and waypower to adjust over time.
Now I see how all three can be modified to move us further along the path.
For example, consider someone who HOPES to be seen as a thought leader in their field.
They might set a GOAL of writing a book.
Apply WILLPOWER to write every morning.
And add the WAYPOWER of other times of day to write if the morning doesn’t work.
Along the way, they realize that the topics being developed would work better in white papers.
If they hold themselves to the GOAL of the book, the HOPE might take longer to realize.
They could adjust the GOAL to something different like “publish one white paper per month”.
Their credibility might start to rise on the path toward their HOPE of thought leadership.
Same ending. Different goals.
Your Turn
What do you hope will happen by the end of the year (an accomplishment, feeling, etc.)?
What goals could be set today to start on the path (remember you can change them)?
Is there a current goal on your list that needs to be replaced by different goal?