Realizing that one lives a busy life in hamster wheel and deciding to change this is a turning point. Outlining a life vision is a great first step. What’s next? We’re being pushed to set long-term goals, turn them into year-long goals, and start acting. Well, for person who just starts to walk a path of meaningful life, such approach can easily become a serious impediment.
Not only such approach steers us to start the journey when year starts. It also puts too much new things on our shoulders at once. As weeks pass by, things will go bad, failures will happen, and motivation will become lower. It’s just how life works.
Instead consider starting with small goals and smaller timeframes. Set goals for a quarter. It could be a small goal by its nature or a step forward your large vision. What’s important is being positive about completing it in a quarter.
Why a quarter is a good size
This is still a decent amount of time to accomplish meaningful goal. The size of the goal obviously depends on how much time you can designate to it.
It’s easier to stay motivated and focused during three month than twelve.
You can start at any quarter. When you’re starting in September, it’s generally harder to think in paradigm of year goals. Our mind gets confused when we define a year goal in autumn. At the same time defining goals for last quarter of the year in September feels completely reasonable for it.
Three out of four quarters start at calm time. Just think about it: April, July, October. For most of us these are definitely not the busiest months in the year. Only first quarter starts in January when everyone is busy with a ton of things both in family, and at work. I bet starting something new in calm month has a higher chances of success than in busy month.
Starting is hard
Starting anything new is hard. There are so many unknowns to be researched and figured out. There are many things to learn about. There are no rhythm and no pace.
Defining your first couple of goals, finding quality time for them, and actually executing is no difference.
Starting small allows to have less of them bombarding you right at the beginning of your journey. Meaning you’ll have less obstacles and higher chances of success.
Building your process takes some cycles
There are so many approaches, tactics, and tools out there. Initially you just can’t know what works for you and what doesn’t. You need to try them out first.
A normal person needs probably 3 to 6 goal setting and executing cycles to come up with a solid process. I mean, understanding what is possible and what is way above the means and will only bring discouraging, how to balance goals from different areas of life, how to stay motivated, how to make time for execution, etc.
Doing quarter goals speeds this up from 3-6 years to less that 2 years.
What’s next
When you’re comfortable with quarter goals, you may want to plan and execute longer goals. For example, a goal for half a year or a year.
By this time you should have all the ingredients to scale up.
Start small with quarter goals to ease your adventure of switching from hamster wheel to meaningful life. Learn, adapt, and build your process in less time. Only then enlarge the goals you’re working on.