The Five Steps to Goal Achievement
Goals. People have them, sports have them, businesses have them. They’re everywhere. But how are they achieved? How do you plant abstract seeds that grow into achievement trees? By using soil made of good strategy.
Every goal starts as an idea. But how do you turn ideas into reality? You have to give them structure. The process of taking a goal from abstract to tangible can be broken down into five steps: definition, parameter identification, data collection, modeling, and execution. Each step stacks on the preceding one, resulting in achievement and fulfillment.
The first step, definition, is precisely what is sounds like. In order to know what needs to be done, you have to know what to do. Word choice is critical. There’s a massive difference between “I wish I could own a business one day” (passive phrasing) and “I’m going to own a business one day” (active phrasing). The former is vague and indefinite. If wishes were fishes the world’s oceans would be stocked to the brim. The latter is action-oriented and definitive, leaving no room for alternative possibilities.
The next step — parameter identification — is all about identifying potential roadblocks. What sort of resources are required to accomplish this goal? Where can I find them, and what will it cost? Wait, what about paperwork? There’s definitely some paperwork involved in the process, isn’t there? A good analogy for parameters would be rules or laws. We all know the fastest way between two points is a straight line. If something interrupts the straight line between you and your goal, it’s a parameter.
Okay, so there’s some stuff in your way. How can you get around it? By gathering data. This brings us to step three: data collection. Collecting data on identified parameters in how you begin the process of navigating them. Collecting data allows you to answer the questions exemplified in the previous paragraph. Proper data collection will show you what tools are needed, how much capital is required, what paperwork needs to be filled out (ugh), and where to submit it for review (double ugh). Once, you’ve collected an appropriate amount of data, it’s time to engage in step four: modeling.
Modeling is the process of visualizing and synthesizing the gathered data. Creating models is important because it validates parameters and helps keep the overall goal grounded. Modeling is analogous to writing a rough draft: you see what works, what doesn’t, what needs to be moved, and what should be completely deleted. Modeling also allows you to view data on a multi-scale fashion. Doing so will help you to create a primary plan, secondary plan, and tertiary plan (tertiary plans are usually just exit strategies).
Once you’ve defined your goal, identified the parameters, collected data, and modeled it, you’re ready for the final step: execution. Like the definition step, execution is exactly what it sounds like: putting your model into action. A major factor in proper execution is visualization. The sharper the visualization, the sharper the execution; vague visuals, vague results; precise visuals, precise results. You get the point. Execution is all about taking your hands, and using them to shove the abstract work into the world. But what happens if the model fails, the execution falls flat, and you’re left with a partially achieved goal? Nothing, really. Like any other moment of failure, you use it as an educational experience. It’s important to remember that perfect execution is rarely achieved; even more rarely is it achieved on the first attempt. What’s important to focus on, is the degree of execution achieved, so you know how to improve with the next iteration.
In concluding, it’s important to remember that no matter how complicated something seems, it can always be broken down into smaller, more manageable parts. Goals are no different. Following the guidelines above won’t make you the next Alan Turing or Elon Musk, but it will certainly set you on the right track to achieving your goals in life. If you’ve read this far, your attention is greatly appreciated. With millions of people fighting to have your eyeballs consuming their content, I’m flattered you chose to spend some time reading mine.
Cheers!