Do you ever reach the end of the day feeling energized and accomplished? That’s the power of setting and achieving goals – the “A” in PERMA! It’s not just about the final win, but the thrilling journey of growth and progress that fuels well-being.
As SLPs, we witness the incredible accomplishments of our clients every day. Today, let’s turn the spotlight on ourselves. We’ll explore how to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that ignite your passion and propel you toward a fulfilling life.
Definition and Components
Accomplishment refers to the setting, pursuit, and attainment of goals. It is about striving for and achieving personal and professional milestones, experiencing a sense of competence and mastery, and gaining a sense of success and fulfillment for these achievements. Please notice we are not simply discussing reaching the end goals. The journey of striving, progressing, and growing along the way is important and reaps the well-being benefits as well.
Critical components of accomplishment are:
- Identifying goal areas: reflect upon and prioritize what you would like to see accomplishment
- Goal Setting: Establishing clear, attainable objectives.
- Perseverance: Demonstrating persistence and dedication.
- Success and Mastery: Achieving goals and developing expertise.
- Recognition: Receiving acknowledgment for accomplishments. (This includes recognizing yourself! Celebrate your accomplishments!)
Strategies for Personal and Professional Accomplishment
For this component of PERMA, we are using the same structure to approach both personal and professional accomplishments.
We begin with…
Phase 1: Identifying the goal area
Identifying the right goal area involves understanding your priorities, values, and areas where you want to see growth or improvement. Here are steps to help you identify your goal area:
Self-Reflection
Spend some time reflecting on different aspects of your life. Consider what brings you joy, where you face challenges, and what you want to achieve. Ask yourself:
- What are my passions and interests?
- What are my strengths and weaknesses?
- Where do I see myself in the next 1, 5, or 10 years?
Categorize Your Life Areas
Break down your life into major categories, such as:
- Personal Development: Skills, hobbies, education, and personal growth.
- Professional Growth: Career advancement, networking, job skills, and professional development.
- Health and Wellness: Physical health, mental well-being, fitness, and nutrition.
- Relationships: Family, friends, romantic relationships, and social connections.
- Financial Stability: Savings, investments, budgeting, and financial goals.
- Recreation and Leisure: Hobbies, travel, entertainment, and relaxation.
Create a Vision
When we examined the component of Meaning we looked at some of the questions provided by Brian Moran in The 12 Week Year for developing your compelling vision:
- What legacy do you want to create?
- What do you want for yourself and for your family?
- What level of income and fulfillment do you want from your career?
- What interests do you wish you could pursue?
- What do you really want to do with the time you have been allotted?
Did this already? Ready to go deeper?
Consider the sampling of questions below from the book Wake Up! Your Life is Calling: Why Settle for Fine When So Much More is Possible?
(I stumbled across this book thanks to ASHA. The author, Mike Jaffe, was the keynote speaker at the ASHA Convention in 2014. I have read the book several times since then and it always does the trick to guide me through assessing my current status across the varied areas in life and planning my next steps. It is also a highly motivating reminder that I HAVE THE POWER to shape my life.)
Focus on one area of life or life as a whole. Do not censor or edit yourself. Nothing is too big or too “crazy.”
- What’s important to you in your work? Outside of work?
- How about your health and well-being?
- What constitutes a wealthy life for you?
- What is important to you regarding your personal development and growth?
- Who is important to you with regard to your family and your friends?
- What do you want your family and your significant other to be for you in your life?
- Who do you want to be for each of them?
- Describe the ideal physical environment for you. How about where you’re working?
- What is important for you regarding your spiritual and religious beliefs?
- Do you see the vision you want to step into, or maybe you need to push past boundaries to create a totally new vision from scratch?
Identify Your Priorities
Determine which areas of your life need the most attention or where you want to see the most growth. This could be driven by current challenges or future aspirations. Prioritize by asking:
- What is most important to me right now?
- What areas, if improved, would significantly enhance my overall well-being?
- Where do I feel the most unfulfilled or dissatisfied?
Phase 2: Developing goals and plans
Develop SMART goals. These are clear, measurable goals that provide direction and purpose. SMART criteria = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
Break down large objectives into smaller, manageable tasks. This makes the process less overwhelming and allows for regular progress checks.
Create a plan. Develop a detailed plan outlining the steps needed to achieve your goals. Having a roadmap can keep you on track and focused. This is similar to how you may develop a task analysis for reaching the long term IEP goal for a client.
Progress monitor. Just as you do for your clients, do this for yourself. Find the format that works for you, such as a checklist, journal, or app. Periodically analyze your performance. Seek constructive feedback. What works and what needs adjustment?
Stay organized with tools like to-do lists, planners, and calendars to stay on top of your tasks and deadlines.
Phase 3: Achieving Goals
Establish and maintain a growth mindset. View challenges as opportunities to learn and grow rather than as insurmountable obstacles. (Interested in a deeper dive into growth mindset? We LOVE Carol Dweck’s book Growth Mindset.)
- Make adjustments as needed. Always be willing to adjust your goals and strategies as needed. Flexibility can help you stay aligned with your overall objectives. I follow The 12 Week Year system and use their software Achieve! in which a goal is planned across 12 weeks and your action items are planned into weekly actions. One reflects upon progress weekly and adjusts the next week’s plan if needed.
- Celebrate small victories along the way.
- Stay Motivated! Find ways to stay motivated, such as rewarding yourself for small milestones, visualizing success, and maintaining a positive mindset.
Role of Accomplishment in Overall Well-being
Accomplishment plays a vital role in overall well-being by providing a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and progress. Working towards and achieving goals gives life direction and meaning. It provides a sense of:
- Purpose and motivation to continue striving.
- Self-worth, fulfillment, and confidence as one accomplishes big and small goals.
- Progress and development can also boost morale and motivation. It reinforces the belief that effort leads to positive outcomes.
- Resilience, especially in the face of challenges. It demonstrates the ability to overcome obstacles and reinforces a growth mindset.
Embrace the power of accomplishment in your life. Set your goals, pursue them with passion, and celebrate your successes along the way. This journey of striving and achieving will not only lead to personal and professional growth but also significantly enhance your overall well-being.
Remember, the road to accomplishment is paved with both challenges and victories. Embrace the journey, celebrate your wins (big and small!), and adapt your strategies as needed. Every step forward adds to your sense of purpose, confidence, and resilience.
Ready to unlock the power of accomplishment?
Start with our course Happy Pathways: Exploring the PERMA Model for Workplace Well-being.
That will be Step 1 in our Choose Your Own Ending/BEGINNING Experience!