Will you choose SMART or DUMB goals for the New year? It is that moment of the year in which you dream again, you go back to that place in your soul where you connect with your deepest longings and set out to define your goals for the New Year; and you wonder… What goals? What to define?
Because of your experiences from previous years, you may even wonder if it is worth to set goals at all.
I understand how you are feeling, I’ve already been there! Many of us have been at that same point.
However, as a Consultant and Coach, I tell you that you should not stop setting goals and planning; I know how important this is to reach success. But… What are the right goals?
The right goals are those that motivate you to take action every day and take you out of your comfort zone.
You’ve probably heard about SMART goals but not about DUMB goals.
SMART vs. DUMB goals
Before delving into defining goals, I would like to briefly explain what SMART and DUMB goals are.
SMART Goals:Aare Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.
DUMB goals: Are Dream driven, Uplifting, Motivating and Bold.
Although SMART goals work very well in the corporate arena, they do not seem to be the best starting point on the personal level.
How I decided to use DUMB goals
Back on 2016, after reviewing my Vision for my Life and Business, I defined my SMART goals for the following year.
As the months progressed, my motivation and creativity decreased, and I did not understand why if I was taking action and reaching my goals; I was not enjoying the process. Analysing the situation, I realized that I was only taking action to mark tasks as done on my schedule!
By the end of the year, I was totally unmotivated and depressed.
With my problem-solving mentality, I decided to search for the root cause and the idea and solution came to me magically.
Why was I so unmotivated and uninspired?
Something I realised was that there was no heart in my goals or in my actions, therefore I had lost the inspiration to write, create and dream.
My goals were SMART, but achieving them was having a negative impact on me
My next question was: How do I define goals that keep me motivated?
In my search for answers, I first came across the concept Goals with Soul by Danielle LaPorte, which focuses on identifying how you want to feel, and then defining what you will do to feel that way. Later, listening to Brendon Burchard’s podcast, I heard him mention DUMB goals.
These two concepts had an impact on me. So, I began to develop the exercises proposed by Danielle LaPorte, I started to feel motivated again, excited as I had not felt for a long time. Defining my DUMB goals sparked the desire to do things that made me feel how I wanted to feel.
Since then, I have used these methods for myself and my clients. I focus on defining DUMB goals and then going to the details, I use SMART goals as a way to measure progress and results over time, always connecting with “how I want to feel” when making decisions or choosing an option.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, setting DUMB goals can be smarter when it comes to setting goals that you really want to achieve.
Do you want to know more? Click here to explore a different way of setting goals.
