How to Achieve More with Bundled Goals
Make a list of specific goals., Look for overlap., Break your goals into steps., Set priorities., Write a plan.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a list of specific goals.
In any goal-setting process, it is important to be as specific as you can about what you want to achieve.
This is doubly important when trying to set complimentary goals.
That's because you need to be able to look carefully at your goals to see how they can work together.
Make a list of potential goals.
Don't worry at this point about how many it will be possible to achieve.
For each major goal that you have, try to make it very specific, defining your terms as well as you are able.It's not enough to say you want to be healthy, for example.
Most people want that.
But what does that mean to you? It's important to be as detailed as possible.
If one of your goals is to learn to dance and the other is to get in shape, those goals might work well together.
It will be easier to make that judgement if know what kind of dancing you are hoping to learn.
Likewise, the fitness goals you want to achieve can also be better specified.
Are you interested in losing weight? Building muscle? Both? Some dance styles will contribute more to one of those goals than the other. -
Step 2: Look for overlap.
Once your list is complete, look for goals that relate to one another.
You should make note of any goal that could contribute in some way to another goal on the list.
At this point, you can start to create potential goal bundles.
You should indicate these on your list.
You can use different symbols or different colored highlighters to note which goals might go together.
For example, you might have a set of goals that all contribute to physical fitness.
Or, you might have a cluster that all contribute to career or intellectual development.
Some research has shown that working on goals that compliment each other simultaneously can lead to better results and more more follow-through.You can leave aside goals that don't seem to fit in any bundle for now. , You can achieve almost any goal more easily if you break it down into its component parts.
This gives you a list of tasks that are more manageable.
It also helps you develop a concrete plan for achieving the goal.For example, if your goal is to lose forty pounds, you would have some steps related to diet, such as eating fewer sweets, eating more vegetables, etc.
You would also have some steps related to exercise, such as getting a half an hour of exercise every day, possibly joining a gym, etc.
Once you've broken your goals into steps, see if any of your goals have steps that are the same or very similar.
Hopefully, some of your bundles will include steps that allow you to make gains on more than one goal at a time.
These are called "multi-final" tasks.For example, you might note that your goal of learning to dance involves taking a 30 minute dance class twice a week.
This could become your workout for your weight loss goal on class days.
Thus, these classes could advance both goals at once. , Before you start working on your goals, determine which ones are the most important to you.Rank them if possible.
This will allow you to set work priorities if you don't have time to work on all your goals each day.
This is also a good opportunity to narrow your list down a bit.
Trying to work on too many goals at once can be counter productive.
The right number of goals will be different for each individual, but some people find about 10 to be manageable.Consider removing some of your less important goals, especially if they don't fit into any of your bundles of complimentary goals.
It is also important to be realistic about what you can achieve.
Setting too many, too challenging, or downright impossible goals will make it harder to stay committed., Create a plan listing the steps for all the goals you plan to work on at once.
Make sure to make note of places where you can make progress on several goals via the same steps or tasks.
Its a good idea to have a timeline and/or deadlines built into your plan.
This will help you stay motivated and accountable.
It will also help you track your progress so you have a sense of how well your plan is working. -
Step 3: Break your goals into steps.
-
Step 4: Set priorities.
-
Step 5: Write a plan.
Detailed Guide
In any goal-setting process, it is important to be as specific as you can about what you want to achieve.
This is doubly important when trying to set complimentary goals.
That's because you need to be able to look carefully at your goals to see how they can work together.
Make a list of potential goals.
Don't worry at this point about how many it will be possible to achieve.
For each major goal that you have, try to make it very specific, defining your terms as well as you are able.It's not enough to say you want to be healthy, for example.
Most people want that.
But what does that mean to you? It's important to be as detailed as possible.
If one of your goals is to learn to dance and the other is to get in shape, those goals might work well together.
It will be easier to make that judgement if know what kind of dancing you are hoping to learn.
Likewise, the fitness goals you want to achieve can also be better specified.
Are you interested in losing weight? Building muscle? Both? Some dance styles will contribute more to one of those goals than the other.
Once your list is complete, look for goals that relate to one another.
You should make note of any goal that could contribute in some way to another goal on the list.
At this point, you can start to create potential goal bundles.
You should indicate these on your list.
You can use different symbols or different colored highlighters to note which goals might go together.
For example, you might have a set of goals that all contribute to physical fitness.
Or, you might have a cluster that all contribute to career or intellectual development.
Some research has shown that working on goals that compliment each other simultaneously can lead to better results and more more follow-through.You can leave aside goals that don't seem to fit in any bundle for now. , You can achieve almost any goal more easily if you break it down into its component parts.
This gives you a list of tasks that are more manageable.
It also helps you develop a concrete plan for achieving the goal.For example, if your goal is to lose forty pounds, you would have some steps related to diet, such as eating fewer sweets, eating more vegetables, etc.
You would also have some steps related to exercise, such as getting a half an hour of exercise every day, possibly joining a gym, etc.
Once you've broken your goals into steps, see if any of your goals have steps that are the same or very similar.
Hopefully, some of your bundles will include steps that allow you to make gains on more than one goal at a time.
These are called "multi-final" tasks.For example, you might note that your goal of learning to dance involves taking a 30 minute dance class twice a week.
This could become your workout for your weight loss goal on class days.
Thus, these classes could advance both goals at once. , Before you start working on your goals, determine which ones are the most important to you.Rank them if possible.
This will allow you to set work priorities if you don't have time to work on all your goals each day.
This is also a good opportunity to narrow your list down a bit.
Trying to work on too many goals at once can be counter productive.
The right number of goals will be different for each individual, but some people find about 10 to be manageable.Consider removing some of your less important goals, especially if they don't fit into any of your bundles of complimentary goals.
It is also important to be realistic about what you can achieve.
Setting too many, too challenging, or downright impossible goals will make it harder to stay committed., Create a plan listing the steps for all the goals you plan to work on at once.
Make sure to make note of places where you can make progress on several goals via the same steps or tasks.
Its a good idea to have a timeline and/or deadlines built into your plan.
This will help you stay motivated and accountable.
It will also help you track your progress so you have a sense of how well your plan is working.
About the Author
Henry Sanchez
With a background in religion, Henry Sanchez brings 6 years of hands-on experience to every article. Henry believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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