Secrets to smart goal setting

Caroline Njoroge speaks to a few individuals on their experience in setting this discipline, what makes it work for some and not for others and the secret behind making goalsetting work this time around

The beginning of the year is a chance to start afresh and ignore the synonymous mockery that comes from naysayers of the practice of setting goals; and maybe the sarcastic comments made are justified.

According to research by the University of Scranton, an astonishing 92 percent of people never achieve their New Year goals!

This notwithstanding, there still seems to be a direct co-relation between setting of goals and how much one is able to achieve in the long run.

A 1979 Harvard MBA study on goal setting analysed the graduating class to determine how many had set goals and had a plan for their attainment. Interestingly enough, the findings of the Harvard study are identical to a 1953 Yale study.

In the Harvard study on goal setting, the graduating class was asked a single question about their goals in life. The question was:

Have you set written goals and created a plan for their attainment?

Prior to graduation, it was determined that:

The results? 10 years later, the 13 per cent of the class that had set written goals but had not created plans, were making twice as much money as the 84 per cent of the class that had set no goals at all.

However, the apparent kicker is that the 3 per cent of the class that had both written goals and a plan, were making ten times as much as the rest of the 97 per cent of the class.

So could there then be a science behind this discipline of setting goals that some of us don’t understand that makes it work for some and not for others? Most successful people in the corporate space will tell you that one cannot succeed without a plan. But why does it seem to work for some and not for others?

According to Mr Edwin Otieno, Head of Agency Banking at Kenya Commercial Bank, one cannot truly succeed if they have no sense of direction.

“I am a big believer in goal setting. For how do you arrive at a destination which you have no plan for? Practically speaking, if you are travelling to a different town, for example, you make transport arrangements, you organise and purchase a bus ticket or whatever other ticket you need depending on the mode of transport chosen, you make seemingly small arrangements like packing your suitcase in preparation for your journey. So, it is with everything you want to achieve in life. Planning helps you strategise on execution and allows you to measure progress.”

In his book, Secret of Preparation on Time, Bishop David Oyedepo says, “If you consistently build and prepare towards your goal then at the time of manifestation, you will look stronger than somebody more gifted. Preparation will also make you survive the winter seasons of your life because you utilised summer well.”

In short, planning prepares one to be better positioned to achieve more within a given time frame.

Mr. Edwin Otieno, Head of Agent Banking, KCB Kenya

An MBA graduate from the University of Nairobi who has worked for and in top companies, Mr Otieno has concrete experience in the Service and FMCG industries. Having greatly harnessed his leadership skills in managing diverse teams, his greatest task has been championing growth of sales and offering strategic leadership in the various organisations that he has worked for. Under his leadership, KCB has won several awards including ‘Best Bank in Agency Banking Kenya’ from Think Business Banking Awards.

Do you believe in goal setting?

Yes I do.

What would you say is the secret to successful goal planning?

Break down the goals into achievable objectives or to-do lists; then review them perennially.

Where do you think people go wrong when it comes to setting goals?

Not breaking down those goals into achievable daily activities. Goals are not meant to be worn like flowers. The truth is, achievement of goals will involve sheer hard work and that work will be intense if the goals are anything worth achieving. I also believe the motive behind any set goal is important; live your life, don’t work towards impressing people. When setting goals that are strongly dependent on others – such as marital goals – do your best to play your part; you can only control that which you have influence over than leave the rest to your partner or pray about it.

What keeps you focused?

The sacrifice I am willing to make for any given goal. If I set a goal to, for example, take up an evening class, I calculate how much that will cost me financially and in terms of time. Then I make a down payment in order to make a solid commitment. It’s hard to walk away from things that one has invested their hard-earned money on. However, for every goal I set, I know there is a corresponding sacrifice involved, even if it is not monetary.

On average, how many goals do you set annually?

I have short term goals and long term goals. But on average, I set three to four goals at the beginning of every year.

Aren’t those few?

Well, one secret to actually making headway is to set a few goals and actually work on achieving them. Set the goals in order of priority, then get to work.

What would you say is the place of accountability in execution of goals?

Accountability partners can help you stay on track. This can also give you mileage if the people you have set as your accountability partners are those who have gone ahead of you. Whatever you are trying to achieve, somebody else has walked that path and can advise you on the best route as well as what to avoid along the way.

How many hours do you sleep in a day?

6 hours. I wake up at 4:30am, spend some time in prayer and meditation then prepare for work.

Prayer seems to have a central part in your life…

I consider prayer very important but if one does actively work towards something, then waiting for the manifestation thereof is like chasing after the wind. Pray then work, and let God guide you even as He blesses the work of your hands.

What other key would you say there is to achievement of goals?

Writing them down. Simple but very effective, especially when one gets into the habit of reviewing what they wrote.

How do you handle detours?

Ideally, things will not work out exactly as you planned. That’s life. However, it is important to analyse every distraction from the main goal, realign and reprioritise depending on what kind of distraction it is. For example, a promotion at work might translate to increased traveling, making it impossible to continue with classes you had enrolled for. In such an instance, it is important to seek what arrangements would work best in order to adjust to your current reality. Maybe switching to online classes would be more effective or requesting for your classes to be pushed to the next semester if the travels are seasonal. Every distraction is unique and should be handled according to its uniqueness.

Give me a practical example of how you set your goals...

I’ll give you a general overview. For example, I set three main goals; for my spiritual walk, family life and work. Then I break that down to details and keep checking how the goals in each area are being achieved.

Dr. Marcel Uwizeye, Director General of Masaka Hospital, Rwanda

Dr Marcel, 38, is a passionate leader of one of Rwanda’s District hospitals and has worked there for the last six years. The standard of excellence in this hospital has greatly improved under his leadership.

Do you believe in goal setting?

Yes. I am a big believer in goal setting because one has to know where they want to go and make intentional strides towards that direction.

How many goals did you have at the beginning of the year?

Three goals.

Only three?

Yes. There are only so many ways in which you can spread your energies and achieve anything meaningful. In my opinion, setting too many goals is setting yourself up for failure or frustration.

How many of those did you actually achieve this year?

All of them.

What keeps you focused?

The motive behind every goal. I ensure the motive behind every goal that I set is solid and beneficial. I don’t have goals to achieve things that will merely impress people.

How do you handle possible detours?

I reflect. Check the reason behind the detour, is there something I can change to stay on track? Is the detour because something more important came up? If this is the case, what adjustments do I need to make? If it’s something beyond me, I just pray about it.

What do you think makes people not achieve their goals?

For one, being over ambitious; setting goals that are unrealistic. One has to be real with where they are at in life. For example, if your income is low, setting a goal like, you will buy a house within a year will be unrealistic. But if you spread that over a 10 year period with a breakdown of how much you will save per month and invest to achieve that goal within 10 years, then that is practical. Goals should make you stretch yourself, but they should also be something that you can break down into practical daily objectives. An example of an unrealistic goal is a single lady who states that she will get married in a year – that is not a goal but wishful thinking because she cannot break that down to a daily or monthly plan, she will have to wait till she is approached by the right potential spouse then take it from there.

Word of advice to those seeking to make goal setting a habit?

It is so important. It will keep you from stagnating in life because you begin to make intentional steps toward growth.

Mwenesi Musalia, Performance and Image Consultant

Musalia is an image, performance and behaviour refinement consultant. He is also a content producer for his own YouTube Channel – Get Yours - where he shares insights on matters life and growth. Having shared his own grace to grass and back to grace story on numerous platforms, he knows the script of getting back on one’s feet all too well.

Your take on goal setting?

Failing to plan is planning to fail. If you have no goals you have no direction and no direction means a lot of time and energy wasted pursuing the wrong things.

What makes goal setting work?

There is no exact science to goal setting but there is one constant that works and that is starting with the end in mind and working backwards. When you have a definitive end, it means you can break it down into a milestone and a realistic and achievable target, and it also helps centre your purpose and your why.

What do good goals look like?

Achievable targets are grounded in reality. Your reality, your circumstances and your resources (your health, your network, your time and finances) determine your reality. Many don’t do that review or audit on a regular basis and so end up setting unrealistic goals. Also, small wins are great platforms to build on bigger milestones. So, small and realistic milestones are a great way to start.

What do bad goals look like?

Wrong goal setting is starting with the present and moving forward building the plane while it’s flying. Most people spend a lot of effort accumulating resources (degrees, looking for opportunities etc) with no clear idea of where there are headed or why they make the choices they do.

Word on the street

Lillian Njoroge, BA Education Student, Gretsa University

I think planning ahead is important because it helps one get things done within a given timeframe. Planning also makes one reflect on what made achievement of some goals in the previous year unattainable and what rectifications need to be made for a more productive coming year.

Rhajneesh Bhuee, Policy Analyst at Aptitude

I think goal setting is important. Goals and targets that have time frames help one measure progress. Whenever I feel frustrated because I feel like I am not yet where I would like to be, I go back and check what strides I have been making; keeps me encouraged to stay on track, pushing even when it feels like things are stagnating. I don’t do annual goals though; I set goals based on seasons and opportunities that come my way.

Constance Isika, Training Consultant United Nations

Yes. I believe life takes the shape of your goals. Smaller goals build up to bigger goals – if you are disciplined with the smaller goals you will achieve the bigger goals. Setting goals also helps one plan their time, be focused and develop discipline. Personally I set 5 year plans, and I set very specific things that I want to see change within this timeframe. I think one key secret to making this work is being patient; you must give yourself time.

Samuel Gakunyi, Assignments Editor, KTN News

I consider planning important. I think it’s easier to achieve goals when they are not self-centered, aim to achieve things that will also benefit others. Then break goals into workable plans that keep you making progress in the right direction.