This is a four-part series about goal setting that was featured in the Weekly Coach. We had an overwhelming response to the series, so we decided to put it in our blog. Feel free to copy it and send it to others.

Part One: Thinking Strategically

Organizations that succeed often spend a significant amount of time thinking strategically about the fundamentals of their existence. These fundamentals often include financial issues, development programs, work-flow, and even survival tactics that plan for future challenges. Well run organizations revisit their mission statement often and they may revise it as the culture or climate changes.

Individuals that succeed often spend a significant amount of time thinking strategically about the fundamentals of their existence. These fundamentals often include financial issues, development programs, work-flow, and even survival tactics that plan for the future challenges. Well run individuals revisit their mission statement often and they may revise it as the culture or climate changes.

If you have a written personal mission statement, does it need to be revised? If you don't have a written personal mission statement yet, could you spend some time putting one together? What are you going to be about in the next year or so? Is it an exciting mission statement, or just one that sticks on some wall and is mostly ignored by everyone including you?

So let's write or rewrite our personal mission statements this week. Next week we'll talk about putting together some exciting goals to make it a fantastic mission statement. Okay?

Part Two: Listing Our Goals

Last week we discussed the importance of defining a personal mission statement. A personal mission statement generates the enthusiasm and the motivation to develop our personal and professional goals. If you did write a personal mission statement, you now have a core focus and a solid foundation for building your goals and objectives for the next few months. It isn't necessary to wait until the first of the year to set our goals and objectives.

But, if you didn't write your mission statement, if you didn't take the time to consider who and what you are about, my question to you is, why? Did you just read it over and decide to be a wandering generality? Hey, open up a file on your computer right this minute and write a mission statement. Who are you? What are you about? What is your purpose these days? Is it to be the best parent to your children and to be honest, authentic, and always try to do the right thing when faced with a tough decision?

Okay, all of us who did write a mission statement will wait for a few minutes while the rest of you finish writing yours. Time is up! So now that we have all written our mission statement, it's time to create a list of big items or areas in our life that will support the mission statement. These may include important items such as family, recreation, work projects, things to do around the home, places you want to visit, and self-development plans. These big items can be put into four categories: Personal Goals, Financial Goals, Professional Goals, and perhaps Spiritual Goals.

In each of the four categories, list as many ideas that you can without paying attention yet to how you are going to achieve them or when you need to achieve them. Just spend time writing down the goals first. See how many you can write down in an hour without letting your darker side talk you out of deserving them. Next week, we'll talk about prioritizing those goals. And remember, be sure to include some really fun, crazy, and imaginative goals in each category.

Part Three: Prioritizing Our Goals

Last week we took a break from our goal setting discussions to suggest that swearing and yelling around the workplace just might be leading to some morale issues. Ya think? No one enjoys being yelled at. And most of us do not admire those who like to swear. Enough said?

Two weeks ago, we looked at brainstorming goals in four specific areas. Those areas included personal goals, financial goals, professional goals, and spiritual goals. Hopefully you have listed several in each area. If not, you can always go back and add to each list. As you get better at goal setting, you will find that it will become easier to think of more and more goals.

Now that you have them listed, it's time to prioritize them based on 1-year goals, 3-year goals and 5-year goals. So next to each goal, write the number 1, 3, or 5. The next step is to select at least three of the 1-year goals in each of the four categories. Still with me?

These twelve 1-year goals that you want to accomplish in the next year are the basis of our program together. Naturally, if you don't yet have three 1-year goals from each area, then your total list will be a bit less than twelve. Now transfer these goals onto twelve separate 3 by 5 cards. Write the goal on the top line. Hang on to these cards and tune in next week. By the way, I find that if I use different colored 3 by 5 cards for each of the four areas in my life, it helps me remember that I wish to lead a balanced life. Can you hear "The Rainbow Connection" in the background yet?

Next week, we'll add more to the cards to help give us leverage to accomplish our goals. Have a great week!

Part Four: Accomplishing Our Goals

So by now, if you have been following along, you have somewhere around twelve cards that represent twelve goals that you wish to accomplish in one year. These goals are from four areas in your life, including personal, financial, professional, and spiritual. The other goals, those you wanted to accomplish in three or five years, can be set up the same as these one-year goals. But I would suggest you wait a couple of months to tackle these, if you choose to do so.

Now, select one of your 3 by 5 goal cards. Let's say it is, "To give more of my time to my family." At the top, next to this title, write the date and or the frequency. Thus, the card might now read, "To give more of my time to my family - weekends." Now skip a couple of lines and write in 3 or 4 reasons why accomplishing this goal is important to you. After you do this, your card might state: "Because I want to be an important part of their lives; because I need to learn how to let go of work issues; because my daughter doesn't seem to remember my name."

Now, turn over the card and write 3 or 4 things that might happen if you don't accomplish this particular goal. Now your card might look like, "I will miss being a part of the family; I will regret not attending my daughter's soccer games; my spouse knows a good divorce attorney."

Okay, you get the idea - right?

The final part is to read each of your goal cards at least two times a day. Carry your goals with you and as you do your planning, incorporate your goals into the things you wish to achieve each month, week, and day. By having your goals with you, the power of those goal cards will begin to work their magic.

You can do this! Won't you join me?