Put your goals on pause until you have a long-term vision

It's hard to believe, but nonetheless true, that you cannot achieve your goals unless you have a long-term vision. Without a long-term vision, what are your goals actually working to accomplish? What greater good of your life are you working to reach? These can always change, you don't have to know exactly where you're going, but think about where you want to end up. 

Many of us have "goals" we think about to validate our hard work so that our actions don't feel pointless and our hard work feels like its going toward something positive. For example putting work into school to "get better grades" is great and all, but not specific. For this to be a valid goal, you have to determine how this is helping you reach your dream life. If improving your grades is going to give you a greater chance of admission to your desired University or land your dream internship, this is your overarching goal and your long-term vision. If your long-term vision is to play football in college and your grades are already where they need to be, why would you set a goal to improve your grades when you need to improve your game?

The same scenario applies to a career, if you're spending all this time working on improving your skills as a contractor when your dream is to be an electrician, how are you reaching your desired end result? How is the goal of improving skills in contracting helping your long-term vision of becoming an electrician? 

A long-term vision acts as the foundation for your life's purpose and direction. It’s the overarching goal that guides your decisions, influences your daily actions, and keeps you motivated. Without a clear vision, you risk drifting through life without a sense of purpose, making it extremely challenging to set and achieve meaningful goals.

Why Progress Stalls Without a Long-Term Vision:

Without a long-term vision, progress becomes fragmented and directionless. You might find yourself working hard but feeling unfulfilled or making progress in one area of life while neglecting others. This imbalance can lead to burnout, dissatisfaction, and a sense of aimlessness.

Common Pitfalls of Lacking a Vision:

1. Lack of Motivation: Without a clear vision, it's difficult to find the motivation to pursue and achieve goals.
2. Misaligned Efforts: Your actions might be productive but not aligned with your true desires, leading to a feeling of wasted effort.
3. Imbalance: Focusing too much on short-term gains or a single aspect of your life can create imbalances, impacting your overall well-being and happiness.
4. Stagnation: Without a long-term vision, you might become stuck, struggling to see the next step or direction for growth.

Setting Meaningful Goals

Once your long-term vision is established, setting goals becomes more meaningful and effective. Your vision acts as a roadmap, guiding you to set specific, achievable, and relevant goals. This way, you never lose sight of where you're going and you're actually building your dream life, not just going through the motions of life. 

Steps to take for meaningful goal setting:

1. Define Your Vision: Clearly articulate your long-term vision. What do you want to achieve in the next 5, 10, or 20 years? Consider all aspects of your life, including career, relationships, health, education, financial, and personal growth.
2. Break Down the Vision into 3 goals: Divide your long-term vision into smaller, manageable goals and focus on 3 different areas of life at a time. Determine which 3 you want to start improving first and then build from there. This process makes your vision less overwhelming and more attainable.
3. Set SMART Goals: Ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. You should start with a 3 month window so that you can reassess and see if after the first 3 months a new area of life arises that you want to focus on next. SMART goals provide a clear path and criteria for success.
4. Balance: Balance these 3 goals you set and figure out the necessary amount of time needed to spend on each. Prioritization helps you focus on what truly matters and prevents you from spreading yourself too thin. 

Key Benefits of a Long-Term Vision:

1. Clarity: Knowing where you want to be in the future provides clarity. It helps you understand what you need to do today to move closer to your desired outcome.
2. Motivation: A compelling vision fuels your motivation. When you have a clear picture of your desired future, it becomes easier to stay focused and persevere through challenges.
3. Alignment: It aligns your short-term and long-term goals, ensuring that every step you take is purposeful and contributes to your overall vision.

Strategies for Balancing Goals:

1. Set daily intentions: When you set your goals, you grouped them into categories such as career, personal life, health, education, financial, and relationships. This categorization helps you see the bigger picture and maintain balance. Everyday set your top 3 priorities for the day and try to incorporate at least one goal to your to-do list. 
2. Create a Schedule: Develop a realistic schedule that allocates time for each category. Ensure you dedicate sufficient time to personal and professional goals, avoiding the trap of overcommitting to one area. Ensure your daily actions are actually going toward your goals. 
3. Be Flexible: Life is unpredictable, and circumstances change. Be flexible and adjust your goals and priorities as needed while keeping your long-term vision in mind. Constantly reassess if you're on track, ahead, or falling behind. 
4. Regular Reflection: Periodically review and reflect on your goals and progress. Reflection helps you stay on track, make necessary adjustments, and ensure alignment with your long-term vision.