Goal-Setting: What’s the Point?
A crucial mindset shift
Change of plans from yesterday’s announced article… tomorrow we’ll look at realistic but ambitious goals.
But before we do that, we need to understand the point of goal setting.
As James Clear argued in his mega-hit Atomic Habits, basing your success or failure on outcomes is a bad approach. “We think we need to change our results, but the results are not the problem. What we really need to change are the systems that cause those results.”
Take, for example, a “Read the Bible in a Year” goal.
It seems most Christians have been through this one. Maybe you keep up with it for months. But at some point, enough missed days add up to where you realize it would be almost impossible to get to Revelation 22 by December 31. And so, the goal goes by the wayside. The goal required near-perfection, and few people who aim to change are already near-perfect… so you “failed.”
But what were you really trying to do?
Why did you set the goal in the first place? Was it solely an attempt to get through the Bible in a year?
Sure, getting through the Bible in 365 days would be cool. But for most people the point of the goal is to be the kind of person who walks with God daily and knows His Word well. That doesn’t require perfection, just consistency and an upward trajectory over a long enough period of time.
This is why this shift in thinking matters so much.
If it’s all goal-oriented and you fail the goal, game over. If it’s identity and habit-oriented, so long as you’re alive, you’ve got time. Failed goals are a cause
To continue the example, if it takes you 14 months to get through the Bible it’s no reason to be embarrassed or feel like a failure. Now you’re a person with stronger habits and greater knowledge. Being a regular Bible reader is now part of your identity. Isn’t that far better than faithfully reading 3 chapters a day for 2 months before falling off and giving up? I would say so.
The point: your goals aren’t the point. They should be attempted milestones on a bigger journey toward the kind of person you want to be.
Missing a milestone doesn’t mean you aren’t on the journey. It’s just a reason for reflection and adjustment.
That’s where the 18 Day Sprint comes in. Checking in every 2.5 weeks gives you the opportunity to evaluate your habits.
Maybe you reach a point where you realize your year end goal is now out of reach. It stinks, sure—but it’s not total defeat. Are your 18 Day Sprints improving? Are your habits revealing growth? Even if they’re not, you’ve got your data for adjusting and attacking the next 18 with greater understanding.
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