Quizzes
Learning to set an achievable goal and breaking it down into the right action items is a life-long skill. Even though the goals themselves have an end and a clear outcome, the process of goal-setting and progressing on goals is a journey that does not end.
Setting and achieving goals can be very challenging, but there are strategies to help you create small wins and find motivation to keep going.
Goals balance structure and motivation. Structure in goal-setting refers to the systems, processes, and frameworks that provide organization, clarity, and accountability for achieving goals. It encompasses the tools, plans, and routines you use to break down a goal into manageable steps, track progress, and maintain consistency. Motivation is the “why” behind your efforts, providing the energy and persistence needed to overcome challenges, maintain focus, and achieve success. Motivation can come from personal values, desires, rewards, or external influences, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining progress.
Goal Progress Matrix
To make progress on a goal, you determine the right balance between structure and motivation. The Goal Progress Matrix below shows a general guide for how structure and motivation work together to make progress.
You can have low or high structure. Low structure means the goals are unclear, don’t have a timeline, and aren’t written down. High structure means the goals are specific, measurable, and thoughtfully planned out. The steps or action items to achieve the goal are clear and written down.
You can have low or high motivation. Low motivation means there isn’t a strong, personal desire to achieve the goal. Little time is spent on the action items and steps. High motivation comes from goals that are tied to personal values and clear connection to the “why” behind the goal. Time is spent each day on the action items and steps.
How do structure and motivation work together? When there is Low Motivation and Low Structure, this results in Slow Growth. It’s hard to put in effort towards the goals, and it’s unclear what you should be putting effort into. You may feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. There is a time and place for Slow Growth. If your motivation is low because you are overwhelmed or spread too thin, adding structure could further decrease your motivation. When you are overwhelmed for too long, you may experience burnout. Burnout is when you feel exhausted and no longer enjoy what you do. Slow Growth can overcome burnout by taking tasks off of your plate until your motivation naturally comes back.
High Motivation and Low Structure result in Inefficiency. Time and effort are put into the goals, but it’s not clear how the time and effort contribute to progress. You may be working on several projects and be very busy, but then you may get overwhelmed, lose motivation, and experience burnout. Inefficiency can be beneficial when you are in a phase of learning and exploration. When you are trying new things, it’s almost impossible to know what your structure should be. If you put effort into new experiences with a mindset for learning, you will quickly find out what works for you, what you enjoy, and what you don’t want. Then, you can add in structure so that your effort results in progress.
Low Motivation and High Structure results in Over-planning. Plans are well-defined, but low motivation makes it difficult to execute. You may have a detailed schedule accounting for every moment of the day, but you may not stick to the plan and don’t complete the tasks when you say you will. Over-planning can be the result of too much complexity. For example, if you say Yes! to every opportunity, you will have less control over your time, and there will be many tasks and responsibilities to manage. You would need high motivation to stay on top of it all, but motivation is not something we can force. In times of low motivation, your structure should be simple and focused. Another consequence of Over-planning is that you may beat yourself up or be very hard on yourself for not following through. If you find that you have difficulty sticking to your plan, it may help to reevaluate your goals to make sure they are what you want and to check that your plan is the simplest way to reach them.
High Structure and High Motivation result in Progress. This is the optimal combination to build momentum in your life. You put in time and effort each day to make progress, and the time and effort go towards tasks that clearly support and align with the overall goal. You enjoy the journey, feel like you are in control of your life, and can look back to see how far you’ve come. Keep in mind that “high structure” is relative, meaning that it looks different for each person and each goal. High structure for one person could be sticky notes and a whiteboard, while high structure for another person could be a more complex productivity software. High structure should be as simple as possible to accomplish the goal. As you grow and experience new things, what works for your structure and motivation will evolve. Embrace the changes, check-in with yourself often, and focus on balancing structure and motivation, complexity and simplicity, challenging yourself and enjoying the process.