Goal Setting is an Integral Part of Growth

I love planning. I can spend hours and hours trying to figure out ways on how to do a job. However, a lot of times by the time I complete the planning phase, I would either by choice or by necessity have moved on to another project.

Execution of the plan is a terrible handicap for me. Last moments and eleventh hours are my BFFs. I then resort to working as per external deadlines rather than allocating enough time to get the tasks done.

To my surprise(!), this has penetrated to the next generation too. I sit with my kids and we chart out wonderful plans, timelines for studying, work and play. Schedules for normal days. Routines for vacations. Lists for exam days. You name it and we can plan it!

The commonality in each of them is that we plan all the work excellently but most times fail to execute that plan.

I had recently been to a three-day seminar where the focus was on changing mindset. One of the anecdotes that made absolute sense was that in a 42 kms marathon, even if you put in all the effort and stop at 41 kms, you still have not completed the marathon.

Most of the goal setting exercises seemed to fall away before they could find a solid place to stay. But recently the outlook changed. Goal setting is an internal exercise from the mind and a lot of times, the mind tries to sabotage stuff. But if you have a strong enough purpose, a WHY you want to do a particular job, you will achieve your goals.

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An awesome thing happened last year. My then 9-year-old daughter decided one fine day that she wanted 100% attendance in school. And wonder of wonders, she would motivate herself to go to school. On the almost rare days when she would not want to go, we would remind her that only a few more days were left before the session got over.

She sacrificed trips, sleep and others to get to school every single day come rain or shine. (It is another thing that my 4yo son had fallen ill for a couple of days and after that we did not really push him to go to school all the days.)

And no wonder, my daughter achieved her goal. She attended school every single day and a few weeks back, she was felicitated in the annual prize distribution ceremony with a special prize and certificate for full attendance. Mission accomplished!

This drove home a powerful point that if I set my mind to a task, I too can complete it rather than have a beautiful blueprint but have no structure to show for it.

Have any of you faced such a challenge? Or am I the only one taking on too many tasks and struggling to prioritize and complete them on schedule?

Be sure to read our step by step guide to teaching kids goal setting and perseverance.

Would love to hear your feedback and the strategies that you use to keep yourself on top of your tasks rather than get overwhelmed by them.

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