Contradicting Goals
When writing goals it’s important to stand back and see if any of your goals contradict each other. Almost nothing will frustrate you more than contradicting goals.
Imagine setting a financial goal, but at the same time setting another goal that requires financial investment. These goals would have the potential of contradicting each other. You’ve been working diligently at putting your money away only to become frustrated with your return. When you research why this is happening you found out that it’s because you’ve also been investing some of this money into a project you’re working on.
Avoid contradicting goals by:
1. After writing out your goals, go over them again. Read them aloud to yourself or have someone else read them to you. It’s amazing how different things can sound when someone else is doing the talking.
2. It’s not a bad idea to have a close confidant take a look at your goals for perspective. Because we are so passionate about our personal goals we can sometimes overlook goals that contradict each other.
3. Expect realistic outcomes. Understand that you may have to readjust your goals. In the example used above, understand that you can both save and spend, but you probably cannot save and spend as much as you would like. Or, readjust your goals. Maybe you decide to save this year and spend next, etc.
Avoid the frustration and going around in circles by not setting goals that contradict each other.
