Last April, I sat in my doctoral dissertation seminar at the University of Pennsylvania. The instructors provided one hour for the class to outline a milestone plan to reach the ultimate goal for dissertation completion by March of 2023. This process of outlining the incremental milestones was a great benefit during this rigorous, stressful and rewarding process. The benefits are suited not only for a graduate student, but also for any leader or professional.
Here is a list of benefits of outlining milestones as you seek to reach your 2023 Goals:
1.) Milestone Completion Shifts Our Mind To Progress – If I had left this seminar in April, with the goal of completing the dissertation without any type of incremental steps, I would have kept my mindset in a place of deficit. Our brains function in one of two ways – mindset of progress or a mindset of deficit. In the mindset of progress, we are able to measure how far we have come toward our goal. In the mindset of deficit we dwell on how far we have yet to go. Discipline your mindset to focus on the progress, learning and growth that you are seeing.
2.) Milestone Visibility Keeps Us Focused – On a wall in my office, I have not only the goal of dissertation completion, but also the incremental steps I need to complete to ensure success. Instead of only keeping your milestones or goals on your cloud storage, print off a copy so you can see it regularly. This will keep you focused on the essentials. A visible milestone plan provides you with data on how you should use your time.
3.) Milestones Are Realistic Versus Daunting – Completing a dissertation is a daunting goal. A milestone is realistic. For example, one of my milestones was to network with individuals who can introduce me to participants for my research study.
A few practical next steps for your business:
1.) Document Your Goals: The research indicates we are much more likely to reach documented goals versus arbitrary goals that reside only in your head. Use your team to build your goals for 2023.
2.) Outline Milestones: To reach your documented goals, create milestones which will inform you of whether you are on track to reach your goals. For example: the goal for 2023 could be increase revenue by 20% and the milestone could be to increase revenue by the end of Q1 by 5% or increase your sales pipeline by x%.
3.) Mindset Matters: Be mindful of whether your brain resides primarily in the gap of what is lacking or in the space of progress. Take time to reflect on the progress you have made to reach your goals. The end of the year is a great time to re-evaluate and celebrate all that you have accomplished and to push toward what is possible.
Good luck!