I have been participating in a Fundamentals of High Performance cohort with Coyte Cooper (www.coytecooper.com). This week, we have been talking about setting goals. I set daily goals, but, honestly, I could do much better in the area of long-term goals.
On a daily basis, I recommend one consider the five dimensions of wellness—well-centered fitness: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social. Coyte Cooper categorizes goals as:
- Growth
- Health
- Personal
- Professional
- Financial
- Spiritual
- Human Being
- Impact
As I considered these and my “well-centered” approach, I find myself grouping the dimensions of wellness under the “Personal” category (or perhaps “Growth”, depending upon how one might use the two labels). According to Coyte’s list, the well-centered dimensions might be Spiritual, Health, Growth, Human Being, and Impact. Professional and Financial would then follow. Clearly, there is no right or wrong way to categorize goals. The key is to just do so.
In considering these categories, I would tend (at least for the present) to rank these as follows:
- Personal
- Spiritual
- Health (Physical)
- Growth (intellectual)
- Human Being (Emotional)
- Impact (Social)
- Professional
- Financial
It occurred to me that I have always listed the well-centered dimensions in this order. I have naturally prioritized these in my mind. As I considered this, I began to see it as a pyramid of strength and importance. Spiritual and Physical/Health form the foundation of the pyramid. On top of these, one would build Intellectual wellness (Growth). On top of these then are Emotional (Human Being) and Social (Impact). On top of these, one then builds one’s Professional life and Financial pursuits.
Spiritual and Physical go hand-in-hand. There is a connection between the Spiritual and the Physical that reveals itself in quantum physics. I find that Rob Bell does a phenomenal job of bringing this to life in his Everything is Spiritual video. This is something I hope to consider more thoroughly in a future post.
Without a foundation in the Spiritual and Physical, we cannot develop our intellectual capability or understand the deeper concepts of out intellect. The spiritual and the physical give meaning to life and to ideas.
Our Intellect, in turn, feeds our Emotional dimension, and, subsequently, these all feed our social interactions and relationships. I don’t believe we can have healthy relationships without these other dimensions. Of course, central to the concept of wellness or “well-centered fitness” is the interconnectedness of these dimensions, and, thus, the Spiritual and Physical are, in turn, dependent upon a healthy Social dimension. After all, how does one understand the concept of something greater than one’s self without the understanding that he or she is a social being? And, of course, the emotional dimension is a keystone in here, as well. The Emotional dimension is wholly affected by and affects the other dimensions. Central to the concept of “well-centered fitness” is the interdependency and balance among the five dimensions.
In setting goals, it is essential that one consider both the short and the long term. Goal setting should be part of the daily journaling. The timeline for goals are individualized. One might consider goals for the day, the week, the month, the year, the lifetime (i.e., the “bucket list”). The most important thing with goal setting is that they not be treated like New Years Resolutions—something you do once a year and quickly forget. Goals should be revisited daily, whether long- or short-term. Goals are fluid and can adjust should the need arise (but not so fluid as to allow one to keep changing the terms).
Many have probably heard that goals should be S.M.A.R.T. (sensible, measureable, attainable, reasonable, and time-sensitive). I appreciate Coyte Cooper’s I-SMART approach:
“I—Put “I” at the front of your goals & OWN them.
S—Be Specific about exactly what you want.
M—Make sure it Matters so you will fight for it.
A—Make it Applicable to your highest aspirations.
R—Make sure they are not Reasonable by normal expectations.
T—Put a Time frame on it so you will take action.”
Challenge yourself. Set goals which extend your reach and extend your comfort zone. Go out and be (extra)ordinary!
Carpe momento!