I talk a lot about setting goals: setting goals when you’re scared, aligning your goals with your values, and the power of consistency in helping us reach our goals.
One thing I haven’t talked much about is setting realistic goals.
Setting realistic goals is part of the SMART Goals framework and something we should all be familiar with. But we often overlook it or forget to factor “reality” into our goal-setting process.
We have a saying in my house, “Keep expectations low.” It kind of become a joke when the kids were little after one too many family outings didn’t go exactly as planned. It rained the day we were at Disney? Keep expectations low. Someone got sick on our catamaran trip? Keep expectations low!
I know this “motto” sounds counterintuitive for a productivity coach and high achiever. But there is some wisdom in the subversive statement.
When you set unrealistic expectations, you rob yourself of the chance at victory. You replace celebration with disappointment. Every missed goal reinforces negative thoughts and emotions, which becomes mental roadblocks for the future.
This is even more damaging when you have a team. As morale starts to sink, their ability to achieve at a high level also begins to fade. The more frequently this happens, the harder it is to change the mental narrative.
Obviously, setting goals that are too low is not helpful either. While our brain likes the dopamine hit of accomplishing something, it’s smart enough to realize when we accomplished a pseudo-goal.
What you’re looking for is a stretch goal that is achievable. Something that makes you work hard but is still within the realm of possibility. You want a goal that your team is a little afraid of, but they can see a path toward success.
In the world of fundraising we conduct something called feasibility studies before any big campaign. This is usually done by a consultant—someone outside the organization who has an unbiased perspective.
During the feasibility study the consultant looks at mix of external conditions, internal conditions, and the attitudes and feelings of existing major donors. The goal of the feasibility study is to determine if the nonprofit has the capacity to raise a specific amount of money for the desired campaign.
The feasibility study allowed us to understand if our goals were realistic. It helped expose and strengthen any weaknesses in our planning BEFORE we started our fundraising campaign.
You can conduct a feasibility study with any goal you are trying to accomplish. Find an outside party you can talk with about goals. They can help you objectively look at external factors, your internal capacity, and help you assess what is possible and what isn’t.
If you want to make sure you’re setting realistic goals, either for you or your team, I’d love to help. You can schedule a free 20-minute strategy call to discuss your situation and see what would make the most sense moving forward.
Remember, it’s always better to right-size expectations before it’s too late. That starts with setting realistic stretch goals that we can truly celebrate when we complete them.