Part 3 | Lifestyle | DUMB Goals

Introduction

This blog post is part of a lifestyle series of blogs where we help people became aware of tools to help them manage their lifestyle. Some articles are reflective pieces in other words you need to take the skills referenced and apply them after a bit of thought and reflection. Others are more instructive and can be applied almost directly as they are written to your life.

Before you begin using these tools consider your circumstances and motivations at all times. I can offer personal experience here to help illustrate the concept. I like running does not mean the only way to become fitter and healthier is running. If you have just started an intensive round of medical treatment then perhaps your circumstances mean that you will be building a strong mental mindset with these blogs.

DUMB goals…I’ll open with an opinion. DUMB goals are not goals that you can achieve in a month even in half a year, these are goals that can take a long time to conquer, but at the same time they will provide you with the purpose of being part of something bigger. If you’re a creative person the DUMB goal system will appeal to you. If you thrive on big picture visionary motivation then yes you have found your Philosopher’s Stone and you will rival the Dalai Lama as a leader very soon.

STOP !!! Yes I know you’re about to close the tab. Let’s say you lean more to your left brain and you’re logical. You need to breakdown your goal drill down to good KPIs, forensically analyzing the data to help you gain inches each week before you finally reach that summit of exactly 8,849 meters then this blog is likely to bore you and leave you with no practical advice. You should read this blog first and use this blog sparingly for inspiration. Quite simply you need the right setup to get you going and before I forget you get to laugh at us soft hearted rightees in that other blog. We’re both two sides of the same crazy coin but only together are worth anything.

DUMB goals motivate people to work hard to achieve them, drive meaning and purpose, partnerships and collaborative efforts. DUMB goals take the meticolous and make it worth it in one sentence. DUMB goals pull you and make you want to do what ever it takes. They simplify the mission, drive passion and creativity. DUMB goals will give you a good solid why so that you can withstand any how. DUMB goals don’t solve problems they overwhelm them.

Dream-driven

DUMB goals project a vision for our lives, not just a focus on our tasks. A DUMB goal can almost instantly weave itself into your lifestyle and make it look simple. I’ve sat across from people with the SMART goals sheet and they tell me they want to lose weight. And we walk through the method and I observe. I’m watching my clients eyes and mostly I’m watching the inspiration implode. I’ve had clients specify they want to lose a stone on the SMART goal system but until I started walking them through the concept of a DUMB goal I rarely got what inspired my clients to come out. Once we started with “So what can we do to help you achieve your dream level of health?” only then did we get the reason they came through the door. “I want to wear this dress to my sons wedding and look absolutely fantastic for my son and his wife” “I’ve watched people finish the Cork Marathon for years and I want to feel the joy of finishing in the relay as a team”. Everyone has a vision of themselves once we connected it into the SMART goal system loosely then we started making serious progress from day one.

Uplifting

Goals should inspire something in us more than the need to meet a deadline. To be uplifting a purpose must be fulfilled. What does the event at that deadline look like. I focus on feelings here. How much joy will you feel at your sons wedding looking well. That feeling of accomplishment when you cross the line at the end of the run. If you have had the worst day of your life this uplifting why would make you get off the coach and go training. It’s so powerful that if life knocks you down to your knees this purpose will get you off your knees within seconds.

Method-friendly

Aim for something that is method friendly where practice leads to mastery of a skill. You may manipulate the goal easily, and you’re able to identify habits around the goal that make it possible!. I’ve found this to be linked to a strong purpose. Once the purpose is rock solid people start moving things out of their way. They can see how it fits into their lives. They look at their habits almost intuitively and say things like right that food has to go but when I normally eat it I’ll eat this instead. It’s for my sons wedding and we already walk together at parkrun maybe we’ll go more frequently, begin jogging or do a couch to 5k workout Monday and Wednesday to help me. I’ve seen clients show an absolute professorship of their lives with a method friendly DUMB goal.

Behaviour Driven

Use triggers: if I am already doing A, then I’m going to add behavior B right after in order to habitually move toward my goal; it’s a reminder and an activator. "Every time I visit the gym I will drink more water". “Every time I cook I’ll use these two ingredients”. The habit loop is so useful here. Acording to Charles Duhigg in his book the power of habit our habits are basically 3 components a cue, routine and reward and repeat in a loop. His hypothesis is that we can’t change the cue or the reward because that would disrupt the habit so what he proposed was change the routine. Eating unhealthy meals no problem the cue of getting hunger will be hear everyday your alive and the reward in the pleasure of eating and satiety is a necessary otherwise people either don’t stick with the food or over eat. The routine should be carefully looked at in a habit loop. Exploit your existing habits to serve your purpose. What you do already as habit can help turbo charge your progress.

Conclusion

There is a free DUMB Goal Form to help you achieve your Dream Goal here. If you need an appointment to help guide you to your goal click here