Setting some goals for the next few years

[Foggy]

I've been looking at creating focuses for the next few years of my life because focus is something I've lacked entirely in the past. These are by no means the only things I hope to accomplish but I've been examining my strengths and weaknesses and determining what I would like to improve the most.

I don't have a lot of experience with goal setting, and because of that I would love to hear the processes other people go through for it to get some ideas for myself.

At the most basic level, these are the things I would like to focus on for the next few years:

2009: Getting stuff done and eliminating procrastination.
2010: Social Skills and Humor
2011: Relationship skills (A natural extension of social skills, but taking it to a new level)

I'm not going to worry about planning out how I'm going to achieve my goals for 2010 and 11 until the years are closer, but I need to set some steps for achieving my 2009 goal.

[Foggy]

Alright, so I'm starting at the most foundational level. The first step in my goal for 2009 is staying focused in the moment without letting my mind wander. I'm hesitant to start a 30 day trial for this because it's something that I know I'm going to fail a lot at in the beginning. I'm not quite sure how to organize this goal, perhaps keeping a journal will be enough to measure my growth.

[RT Wolf]

That's what a tiral is: allows you to fail a lot.

You can try out your approach for a while and see if it works, and I hope it does. I've been in your position and there is also a different approach: instead of setting too many long-term and abstract goals, set shorter term goals. Set a goal or two for today, maybe to finish a book. Something that does challenge you and pushes you a bit. Something that will come into conflict with the other things you have ot do today.

Then, after you're doing well with one day goals and they're not longer challenging, go upto week long goals. Maybe watch twenty movies this week. That may sound like it'd just be fun and not all "serious and personal development-like", but that many movies, in a normal work week with friends, family, job, school, etc gets hard. Change it to whatever would be challenging, like maybe you can watch ten movies this week and that'd be challenging. Repeat until successful. Maybe read ten books this week or whatever. Figure out what's challenging for you.

Then move upto month-long goals. You'll be much better at keeping your focus together for a month. after having kept it together for shorter bursts, then upto a "season" or three or four months. Then half year, then year and you'll do much better at it, IMO. I have, anyhoo.

Alternatively, since you've already gotten a yearly focus, come up with specific goals that go down tot he month/seasonal level, then weekly and then daily level.

[dannielo]

I think a goal should be more concrete than "Getting stuff done and eliminating procrastination"

Those are more like habits you want to develop that will support you reaching a goal. But what goal?

You must be able to picture your goal, and have the pictures posted around the house. Being reminded regularly and automatically about your goal should help you stay focused.