Goal setting is often used to overcome a weakness or compensate for a lack of talent in some way. If the goal you are setting is exclusively designed to do only that and you are using a strengths-based approach to set your goal, then do not set the goal. You want to align your goal with your strengths instead.
Another way to say that is to let your goal statement be an expression of your talents and your strengths. When you use your strengths in the process of writing your goal you are far more likely to achieve your goal.
Looking at a goal statement through the lens of each of the four domains of strengths provides insight on how a goal might be written to better align with one’s strengths.
SMART Goal, “I am currently overweight and will reduce my weight by 25 pounds and weigh 185 pounds by June 1st of this year.”
Strengths-Based Goal: “I am currently overweight and will invite my two friends – Carla and DeSean – to be my accountability partners as I walk 30 minutes a day every day and eliminate all the junk food from my life so I will weigh 185 pounds by May 15th of this year.”
Notice the differences. This person’s Relator strength is used by including their two friends to be accountability partners. They used their Strategic strength by identifying different methods for reducing their weight. And, they used their Achiever strength by shortening the time frame by two weeks which is just a bit more challenging, but not unrealistic.Strengths based goal setting adds a dimension and a power to your goal setting process that can only come from your natural talents. It does take more time, as described in this post, but the results are well worth the effort!
To get support for your strengths based goal setting, CLICK HERE to ask me about one-to-one coaching!
