Goals: It’s the Tactics to the Strategy

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines a goal as the object of a person’s ambition, an aim or desired result, or, my favorite, the destination of a journey.

We should create a personal mission statement because it allows us to determine how we want to live our lives and what matters the most to us.

Well, a goal is how we get to the metaphorical location of our personal mission statement. A goal forms a solid foundation to live out our mission statements on a daily basis. It’s the change we want to see in ourselves. It’s the tactic to the strategy.

During one of my final classes at the University of Minnesota, a teacher posed these questions to 20 strategic communications seniors who were opening the door to their lives after college:

You’re walking into your new life. You’ve got the skills and the peer groups to move you forward. But life is a really long walk–Where are you going and what is your purpose?

You’re the only person who can determine what your purpose in life is.

People rarely tell you how to manage your own life. It’s assumed that you should know how. After all, you did graduate from college.

Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Set three-month goals for yourself. It’s a tool to manage your purpose in life. It allows you to assess what is and is not working with your mission statement.

Here are my three goals:

1. Build my resume and get more relevant public relations experience: I love my degree (public relations). I couldn’t have felt more at home than in my classes. So I plan to find a few more internships that will allow me to build my resume and allow me to stand out.
2. Save more money: I’m at the age where spending money on frivolous items isn’t “cool.” Time to put the big girl pants on and take responsibility for my finances. Student loan payments are right around the corner.
3. Read one book every week and a half: For years, I’ve always wanted to read more. I’d buy books with the intention of reading them but never got around to them. I have a fond appreciation for the structure of a story, getting wrapped up in characters and how a story unfolds. Half the fun is the journey.

Three months from today, April 19, I will assess the success of my goals and whether or not there’s room for improvement. If there isn’t, then I will find a new goal.

And one final piece of advice, don’t set too many goals for yourself–three is enough. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure. The purpose here is to continuously improve yourself.

So go ahead and ask yourself, “What is my purpose in life?”

Mission Statement: ‘Set a Solid Course For Yourself and Embrace Life’

Source: Glamour Magazine

“We all know that life is about the journey, but having a destination in mind gives a sense of order, structure and, crucially, calm,” Bethenny Frankel said in the February issue of Glamour Magazine. “Plenty of people have a mission statement, even if they don’t call it that.”

Early on in her career, Frankel, author of “A Place of Yes” and reality star of “Bethenny Ever After,” realized she would determine her future, according to Glamour. And this is the mission statement she created:

You are destined for something special. But no one can do it for you, and no on can save you. You have to save yourself.

Frankel gave four easy steps for developing a mission statement:

1. Think about what you want.
2. Tell everyone or just write it down.
3. Live your mission in which ever way you find meaningful.
4. Envision everything you do as part of and supporting of your mission.

And here’s what I came up with:

• Thanks to my public relations degree, I have developed a love for brands and branding, so I will use brands as a frame of reference. While brands must balance their employees, customers and investors to create brand trust, I must balance the three most important aspects of my life: Family and friends, professional growth and health, which includes mental, physical and emotional health, to create internal and external trust in myself. As I continue to evolve and change, the balance will also shift. But learning how to balance them is the name of the game.
• Take responsibility and contribute to my destiny. You know what you want, which is to work in entertainment television, specifically in promotions and publicity. Don’t be afraid of your goals and do everything you can to achieve them. You are responsible for your own destiny (This one is similar to our favorite Skinnygirl’s mission statement, but it’s true).
• Invest in myself and my friends and family. Let’s embrace each other and be the best we can be, together. Look at every opportunity as a learning experience.
• Don’t take myself too seriously. It’s easy to get caught up in the stresses of our daily lives. But don’t forget to laugh (and dance!) A LOT!
• And, finally, don’t apologize for being who you are. Bethenny said it best: “The more time someone spends hating me, the more I assume there’s something missing in her life, something she hates about herself.”

So here’s Bethenny’s final piece of advice: “Set a solid course for yourself. Then embrace everything life hands you–and when in doubt, consult your mission statement. It has the answer.”