We are good at setting goals based on activities, results, outcomes and desires.

But there are inherent challenges with these goals-setting methods. These goals create a task-oriented mindset, and you track incorrect progress. To achieve your dreams, you need to see the big picture, which these goal-setting methods do not allow.

Following are a few examples of the goals based on activities.

• Writer: Write one article daily for 30 days.
• Fitness: Exercise 5 times a week.
• Programmer: Spend 30 minutes daily on an online course. Write quality code and pay attention to details.
• High School Student: Study well and take good notes in class. Do well in extra-curricular activities such as robotics competitions.

Following are a few examples of results-based goals. Results are what you get after consistently following a set of activities for a specific duration.

• Writer: Write 100 articles in three months.
• Fitness: Lose 10 pounds in three months.
• Programmer: Complete five training courses in three months. Become a certified professional.
• Student: Get a 4+ GPA, 1500+ SAT score and design a great robot.

Outcome-based goals focus on the endpoint of an initiative. These outcomes depend on factors not in your control. For example:

• Writer: Gain 1,000 followers in three months.
• Fitness: Look fit and healthy in three months.
• Programmer: Become a senior programmer.
• Student: Get accepted into one of the top 10 universities.

Finally, desired based are mostly wish lists, for example, a desire to buy a fancy car or a big house.

• Writer: Become a published author.
• Fitness: Get six-pack abs.
• Programmer: Build an app and sell it for millions.

Does any of the above examples resonate with you?

Those are the goals I have set for myself during my past three years of writing journey. Mark Dunkerley, my friend, inspired me to become a published writer. Then a few other writers gave me the desire to get 10,000 followers.

These types of goals are simple to create but harder to follow.

You will lose motivation to follow through without a strong motive behind your goals. When you have a purpose behind your goals, you will take extra steps to overcome obstacles and achieve them. When things get more challenging, you may quit without a valid reason behind your initiative.

An alternative goal-setting approach is objective-based.

This goal-setting method works best when you have some understanding of your personal mission and vision.

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But drafting your personal mission and vision requires an inner reflection to know who you are and what you stand for.

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The clarity of “who you are” and “what you stand for” comes from soul searching and observing your feelings, thoughts, values, actions, and energy.

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Depending on how deep you want to go, it can take months and years.

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Well, this is too complicated. Isn’t it?

Defining a core purpose is significantly difficult.

Defining your core mission is very difficult, whether a company or a person. There are too many steps; each step will take a long time to uncover helpful information.

Following are examples of mission statements from famous people. You can use these as inspiration to guide you to prepare your own.

​18 Most Inspiring Personal Mission Statement of Famous People​

Go with what you know.

So instead of waiting to uncover yourself fully, use the information you already know about yourself. Based on that information, draft your personal mission.

• Your values
• Your beliefs
• Your culture
• Your dreams
• Your hobbies
• Your opinions
• Your passions
• Your upbringing
• Your life experience
• What do you like to do
• What gives you energy

Your initial draft does not have to be perfect.

It could be a concise statement that makes your primary goals clear and inform a clear direction and priorities.

Imagine what you want to be like in five to ten years and infuse your values. Using this information, write a clear and concise statement in the present tense.

Now use your mission statement to determine your objectives & results.

So the process is reversed now.

First, you identify your long-term direction (your mission & vision) and then pick a few significant steps you could take to start walking toward your mission. Those steps will become your objectives and key results.

Finally, define what you can do today, this week and this quarter to achieve those key results.

Defining your actions and results using this process is more effective.

Your actions and motivation will be long-lasting. You will not get discouraged by minor disappointments because you look at the overarching purpose behind your actions and not just immediate results.

You may start making your daily choices in line with your long-term vision.

Continue to refine your mission and vision.

In the beginning, your mission and vision statement may be half-backed, but you can continue to work on it and adjust with a more profound understanding of yourself.

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Book of the week

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Four years ago, I asked my boss David Oakley to help me improve my visioning process. I am very good at building and executing strategy but needed help coming up with new ideas and creating 5-10 year visions.

David suggested reading this book.

The whole concept of starting with "Why" is easy to understand. But it is tough to implement in your work and daily life. I have watched the TEDx video many times and read the book twice.

I suggest you watch the TEDx Video before reading the book.

View on Amazon, Audible. TEDx Video​

Measure What Matters by John Doerr

OKR (Objectives & Key Results) is a similar concept but, again, very hard to implement.

This book will show you how to set your goal-setting system of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). Key results are specific to measure where objectives define what you want to achieve.

It changes your perspective on the goal as you start intentionally making everything.

​TED Talk by John Doerr | Book| OKR 101 at Author Website​

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon is another book on the OKR subject.

View the book on Amazon​

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That’s all for today.

It is a longer than usual newsletter, and I hope you find it helpful.

I am in the same boat as you in defining my personal mission and vision statement. Let's build it together and help each other with our findings. I plan to share more on this as we continue with our conversation.

My friend Luis Camilo is moving to another organization and I have recorded his career journey on my podcast. Please do check out.

Please share feedback by replying to this email or sending me a direct message on LinkedIn or Twitter.

See you next week.

Your friend, Vinod​

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