Setting Personal and Professional Goals part 2

Step Three: Identify Roadblocks

Now that you have identified your vision and you know what it will take to achieve by outlining key actions or goals, you can begin to identify the barriers or roadblocks that may get in your way. It may sound negative to spend your time and energy thinking about barriers or problems, but there are two good reasons for this. First, if you are able to think about what problems could stop you, you can also begin to generate plans to get around the problems if they should arise. And second, when they do come up, they do not paralyze you. Many people have had their goals undermined when problems surfaced. Sometimes people will even tell you they thought the problems would arise.

Let’s say that your goal is to go back to school and get your degree. Some of the roadblocks you could anticipate in this goal might include 1) not enough time, 2) fear of going back to being a student, and/or 3) financial constraints. For each of the roadblocks you identify, develop some strategies to get around the problem. It may include 1) changing your own thinking, 2) getting help from others, and 3) committing to specific time blocks to do what you need to do. Keep the vision in mind and then overcoming the roadblocks will not be so tough.

Step Four: List the Benefits

If you spend time listing the problems or roadblocks you could encounter, you will find it much easier to generate a list of benefits you would receive when you achieve the goal. The question that then needs to be answered is, “Do the benefits make the goal worth achieving?” If the answer is yes, you know that it is worth tackling the problems to achieve the benefits of goal attainment.

Continuing with our example, some of the benefits of going back to school and obtaining a degree might be 1) improved chances for promotion, 2) increased salary, 3) enhanced self esteem, and 4) the feeling of accomplishing something you have wanted for many years.

As you list the benefits, you will want to make sure the benefits outweigh the problems you will encounter. If the benefits do not outweigh the problems, the problems will stop you. Focus on the benefits. They will help you get through the tough times!

Check back on Friday for the last post of this three part blog: Write your Goal and Design an Action plan.