Over the summer break, I took the chance to walk some of the Queen Charlotte track, in the Marlborough Sounds. It as a beautiful spot to get some exercise to balance the summer festivities and a great opportunity for some time alone (knowing my kids would not want to join!).
I headed off from Resolution Bay heading to Furneaux Lodge with my head down, headphones in and keen to see how much faster I could get to the end compared to the 3.5 hours estimated on the sign where I joined the track.
Half an hour in I realised I wasn’t even taking in the beauty around me. I was so focussed on the end, I was missing the journey to get me there. A common problem for many of us in our busy lives. We set ourselves goals, we focus on where we want to be and we can be blind to what opportunities might be passing us by.
So this day I stopped, I removed my headphones and started looking around. The peace and quiet was amazing, only broken by birdsong and the odd waterfall. The views were outstanding. By slowing down I let the journey be part of the experience. I knew the cold cider would still be at the end, but I wouldn’t look back and regret having rushed through and missed so much along the way.
While the year is still ramping up, what goals are you setting yourself, what are your priorities? Set them for the year, the quarter, the month, the week or the day, but keep open to what comes along.
My tips for goal setting:
- Challenge yourself and set various goals, big and small, individual, team and company.
- Consider obstacles and plan for where you may need to involve others.
- Share your goals with someone who can keep you accountable.
- Regularly check in: are the goals still valid, do they need to be moved to stay applicable or challenging.
- Keep your head up and your ears and eyes open.
- Keep an open mind and think of the infinite game (Simon Sinek has a great book on this).
- Celebrate the small successes, give thanks to those who help and support you.
- Look at where you can help others in their goals also, don’t work in isolation at the detriment of others. We’re social animals who thrive on connection, you can not go it alone.
- Be kind, non-judgemental, vulnerable and resilient in your journey.
If you would like to talk about goal setting, share your goals or have someone to keep you accountable, please do get in touch. All the best in achieving all you set your mind on in 2020.
