December 28, 2017

"Where oh Where Am I" "The Value of Self Evaluation in Goal Setting"


"The Value of Self Evaluation in Goal Setting"


The first part of any worth while goals program has to identify where you currently are in life.  It has always amazed me how many people have no idea; have never taken an inventory; or have even thought this a concern.  They set random goals written and unwritten, have successes and failures at almost an equal rate with no reason as to why.  Research (for the serious scholars out there I will not be foot-noting - too old, too tired) has shown that most people set their goals too low or too high because they have no idea where they are.  The ones set too low are easy to accomplish as they require no effort; and those too high are so difficult and out of the persons reach that they give up.  Goals are intended to make one stretch, not break.  To grow, improve, accelerate in the talents and abilities discussed in earlier parts.   So the question then becomes how does one figure out where they are on the continuum of their life.  Lets see if a couple of the ideas below will assist.

First self-evaluation requires by its very nature privacy.  Who we are and where we are is not something to be shown to anyone.  Why?  Because if we know someone else is going to look at what we've discovered, we'll lie.  In the thousands of interviews I've held in business it has been my experience if I ask anyone to list the ten things they most want to accomplish in life the following takes place:  men will say what they think I want to hear until we get to numbers 6 or 7, and then tell the truth; women will be honest in the first 3 or 4 and then stop, reflect and say what they think I want to hear for the rest.  The same is true in self evaluation, except in the rare exception.  (Being you are all my friends - you can be all the rare exceptions.)   But please when you do this keep it to yourself.  You'll feel better and so will others.  (Later when I get into personality's and other studies these you will do with spouse's, etc.) 

The first step in self-evaluation is to take six separate pieces of blank paper.  On each page you will label them: 1) Physical; 2) Family; 3) Spiritual/Ethical; 4) Social; 5) Financial; 6) Mental.  On the front the side put the label "Tangible" and on the back side "Intangible."  Now comes the difficult part; write an essay of who and where you are tangibly and intangibly on each page.  You cannot use more than one side of the paper for each essay.  Be honest and forthright with what you write.  There are many books and programs with a multitude of  self-evaluation questionnaires (these will help you address your self essay).  On the one side you address your tangible self; on the other your intangible self. 

The second step is to step back and re-read what you have written and say is that really me (don't have a gun or knife handy - smile).  If it is then you take out six more pieces of paper (you thought this was easy right), and put the headers on the same way.  Then list all of the things that you would like to work on in the six areas of your life, both tangible and intangible.  This will lead us into the next three parts of the fourteen steps of goal setting; Lists, Categorize and Prioritize. 

Remember you have to know who you are and where you are in self development.   There are many ways to do this, but this is easy and also if someone finds it, most people don't like to read essays.  So it will be yours. May you have an interesting time doing this.  If you have questions please feel free to write and ask. 

the Old Rusty Knight
 “Where oh Where Am I”

cji
12/29/17

Sadly as often too few know
where they are or should be
without this clue they’re lost
pretending to perfectly sure
they know all and tell all
therefore self-evaluation
your personal GPS needful
knowing where you are always
having a solid starting point
a firm direction to follow
which sadly too few a clue
where they are or going!

Copyright © 2017 – cji


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