Hi Friends! 👋🏻

Today we explore the value of goal setting. What I have found over the years is that there is a great sense of fulfillment in setting goals for myself and documenting the growth journey along the way.

If the task of goal setting seems like too much work, a mental framework trick to make it more enjoyable for me is to compare it to an activity with friends. Imagine you are preparing for a long hike with friends. The goal is not only to reach the peak, but to also pause for reflection and take in all the small steps that got you there. Along the way to the top you can expect to be challenged, work hard, and most importantly have fun and enjoy the way up!

Goal Setting is a very similar process. At the beginning, when looking up to the peak (i.e. my goal) it can be daunting.

• Can I get there?

• Will I have what it takes?

• What if I fail?

Without knowing what the outcome will be, we build up the courage to move forward anyway. On the journey to our goal, the real value comes from the experiences and relationships that we build along the way. What I have found as I get older (and hopefully wiser) is more enjoyment in the peaks and valleys of the path that I follow along with even more appreciation for the support and love from those closest to me. Persevering through the challenges/failures and still pushing ahead has helped me answer the questions above in knowing that I can do it and I do have what it takes to get there.

How Should I Set Goals?

In setting goals, I try my best to keep goal planning simple and meaningful.

🧠 The Big 3 Questions I ask myself include:

1. Is this goal aligned with my core values?

2. What will achieving this goal bring to my life and loved ones?

3. If I reach this goal, will it help me in building my ideal life?

🧠 Pro Tip If the goal provides acceptable answers to the questions above, this is a goal that probably makes sense to pursue.

Since I am someone that values action more than a perfect plan, I like to keep my goals limited to 3 in the short and medium term, where the long term list may have an additional one to two items.

🧠 The 3 Reasons to keep of list of 3 goals in front of me:

1. Keep the focus & limit distractions that can come with a bigger list.

2. Productively use my time & schedule to take steps towards each goal.

3. Truly prioritize what matters most.

Process-wise, goal setting may look like this:

• Set aside time to brainstorm and collect a list of goals

• During brainstorming, don’t restrict the list. Let it flow, let it flow & right down anything that comes to mind

• Done brainstorming? Narrow the list down to 10 (don't overthink here)

• Now cut the list to 5 (think a little more)

• Out of the 5 remaining, which Final 3 Goals are most aligned to my Big 3 Questions on core values and ideal life?

What if I don't know what my goals should be?

Let's have some fun and use AI to answer this question..ENTER CHAT GPT!

🧠 Strategy: Do not be afraid to use ChatGPT as your personal brainstorm coach if you feel stuck. Consider Chat your friend and ally when it comes to this 👭

Thanks, Chat GPT! 👍🏼

Why Should I Set Goals?

Our time here is short. As I getter older, my responsibilities increase, meaning constraints on my time also increase. With the time that I am blessed to have, why not make the most of it? By embracing goal setting as a powerful mindset for personal growth and fulfillment, I am able to make the most of the precious time I have been granted. As my responsibilities multiply and time becomes more limited, goal setting serves as my trusted tour guide, illuminating the path towards a purposeful life. It empowers me to stay engaged, overcome challenges, and align my daily choices with the vision I hold for myself and my family.

So let us seize this opportunity, set our goals, and most importantly embrace the journey and challenges that will come along the way. Cheers to reaching our goals! 🍻

🧠 brainy.bites Key Tip Summary

1. Place more value in experiences & relationships than the goal itself.

2. Ask the right questions to funnel & filter your most important goals.

3. Align your goals with your core values & ideal vision for your life.

4. Keep a short list of goals (3 is key) to stay focused & make progress.

5. Stuck Brainstorming? Use AI to help push through mental blocks.

🎁 BONUS

If you are interested in organizing your goal setting effort, check out my free Goal Tracker template in Notion, enjoy!

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. -Zig Ziglar

👨🏼‍💻 INTERESTING

• Blog Post How to Set Business Goals and Resolutions that Stick

• Parent Corner People pleasers are highly sensitive people with deep levels of empathy

• Article Debunking the AI Apocalypse

Thanks for reading, see you all back here next week! 👋

B