GOALS VS COMMITMENTS
GOALS & COMMITMENTS WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
The Oxford English Dictionary describes a goal as “the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.” & a commitment as “an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.”
Although on the surface they seem similar, commitments are far more binding & therefore feels like something that has to be achieved, whereas goals can be more flexible depending on how you feel.
We are used to business commitment & goal setting; for personal development it is important to do the same & have both. We can have an endless number of goals but without the “big picture” commitment, it might feel as if we are not making any significant progress.
Having the overarching commitments helps to group the like goals & makes task building easier; therefore making achieving commitments more efficient.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN SETTING YOUR OWN GOALS/COMMITMENTS
Commitments are fixed so they should not change once they are set
Goals are flexible & may need to be added to as you progress towards your commitment.
The bigger the type of commitment the lower the amount of commitments that should be created- make sure that you allow yourself the necessary time & space to work through your goals without causing unnecessary pressure.
Three to Five commitments per year is plenty.The amount of goals you create will depend on how you break down the commitment - every goal should be planned to bring you one step closer to achieving your commitment.
We suggest splitting the goal into multiple tasks - by breaking it down into smaller pieces, you are able to easily track your process; giving you more motivation.Whether setting tasks, goals or commitments, make sure that they are S.M.A.R.T.E.R² (adapted from "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives". Management Review by G. Doran 1981)
Regularly review your progress & modify goals when needed to keep them relevant.
SPECIFIC
Focus on what you want to achieve
MEASURABLE
Have a way of tracking progress
ACHIEVABLE
Challenge yourself but keep your aims realistic
RELEVANT
Be invested in your goals & have full control over them
TIME-BASED
Set deadlines to help prioritise & stay focused
EVALUATE
Plan to regularly assess set goals to make sure they stay relevant
REVIEW & REDEFINE
After your regular evaluation, make changes that need to be made to keep you engaged & making progress
CLOSING NOTES & TAKEAWAY ACTION:
The key is to effective goal setting is to make sure that you create clear commitments with meaningful goals- break these down into manageable tasks which will be easier to achieve & therefore help to keep you motivated.
*Set your own Commitments & Goals that are S.M.A.R.T.E.R² using our simple Goals & Commitments Setting digital workbook