Focus on behaviors rather than goals - Red Bluff Daily News

Goal setting is a typical strategy for change. People imagine an outcome that they want and use the goal like a beacon- drawing them while they navigate the sea toward the goal-shaped shore. The thing is, using sports as an analogy; both the winner and the loser of a sporting match have the same goal. In most cases, both teams are equally prepared to reach their goal but only one team is a victor at a time.

Rather than focus on goals, it’s better to focus on behaviors. A goal is a by-product of a series of behaviors that compound over time ending in a new and better outcome than was possible before. The small and consistent changes or actions are far more valuable and important than the goal itself.

You may have a goal to lose weight. That’s awesome, but if you don’t take small, consistent action there’s very little likelihood you’ll reach your goal. Having the goal isn’t nearly as important as what you are willing to do to achieve it. It doesn’t take any bravery, skill, or remarkable ability to set a goal. It does take all of that and more to walk out the path to the goal.

Perhaps you have a goal to get a degree. That is the easiest step of the journey. What matters more than the certificate of completion is the effort and skills developed to meet the requirements. Developing study habits, internalizing data, balancing work and home life will become an integral part of what having the degree means. In the end, you’ll have so much more than specialized knowledge in a specific area. You’ll have a wide range of skill sets that make you more efficient in all areas of life. The behaviors end up having more value than the goal.

In the same way that focusing on the goal won’t make it happen, failure to pay attention to the behaviors you need to develop results in quitting when things get hard. If you only focus on the goal, you’ll likely be unwilling or unable to do the small things that seem unrelated because they look like a distraction. Taking care of your body, eating right, getting enough rest, doesn’t look like part of the end result but they are related.

I’d like to encourage you to stop having goals and start focusing on behaviors. You likely have a general idea of what you’d like to see manifest in your life. Start thinking about what the next step is to get there. It’s most likely something small. Start something. Stop something. One small thing that leans in towards your goal. Hint – waiting on someone else is never part of the equation. You can do this. You’re the only one who can.

Faydra Koenig, MA is a mental health administrator, author, public speaker, educator and life coach who lives in Red Bluff. She can be reached at coachfaydra@gmail.com or view her blog at doinglifewithfaydra.com.

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Focus on behaviors rather than goals - Red Bluff Daily News
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