Why Direction Setting is Better than Goal Setting
Goals, such as New Year’s Resolutions, fail on a regular basis. We have big goals on January 1st and slowly life gets in the way. The goal loses its importance, we’re too busy or we feel bad about ourselves because we weren’t as dedicated as we’d hoped.
What if we could better understand what really make us happy and be more flexible in attaining it?
This is Direction Setting. Direction Setting takes into account your whole life (your reality and dreams) and what is most important to you over time. It clarifies what’s truly meaningful to you while giving you the flexibility to see that incremental change adds up to a life well lived.
So what’s so great about Direction Setting?
It gets to the goal of your goal. We often have goals such as “exercise more” or “make more money” but what does that really give you? Often what truly makes us fulfilled is something deeper. Perhaps exercise means taking care of yourself or more money means independence and security. Ask yourself, why do I care about this goal? What will it give me if I succeed? Why is that important? Set your life in that direction.
It’s more true to life. We all have multiple demands on our time. Often our days get sidetracked or derailed and it’s no fault of our own. We may have the best intentions to run that 5K or finish the report, but things happen. Kids get sick. Cars break down. Direction setting allows for the fact that we don’t have total control over our daily lives.
Less pressure and negative self-judgement. Most people waste a lot of time beating themselves up for not reaching their goal. STOP. We don’t stick with things when we feel like a failure. Instead, be kind to yourself. If you want to head toward a healthier lifestyle, go for it! Appreciate the days you exercise and eat right and understand that some days you won’t. What matters is that you stay motivated over time. Persistence pays off.
Better Results. Specific goal creation can lead to binary thinking: success or failure. Direction setting allows for our dreams to unfold naturally. There is more space for flexibility and adjustment. If you set the direction of your life toward healthy living but break an ankle, you don’t beat yourself up or forget about your “goal.” Just reduce exercise and focus on healthy eating. With Direction Setting you have more options. More ways to be successful.
Working toward a well-lived life is important for all of us. It enlivens our day with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Direction Setting allows us to maintain this sense of purpose without beating ourselves up when things don’t go as planned. Because sometimes they won’t. Don’t spend much time being worried about it. Focus instead on your dreams and making them come alive.
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