One of the most important, and yet, most-overlooked components of goal setting is evaluation. You set a goal, you push to achieve it, you do or don’t achieve it, and then you set the next goal. If that’s your system, you’re missing a huge opportunity. It’s important to evaluate your own process from time to time. If you don’t, you may miss out on key signs that will point you in the right direction. It’s time for a goal setting check in. Let’s make sure that your system for setting and achieving goals is actually working for you.

Based on Your Project, Are the Goals You Set Realistic?

It can be tempting to evaluate your goals on a pass-fail basis. Did you achieve the goal you set or did you come up short? In reality, there are shades of grey when it comes to goals. The standards for success may change, or you may have grossly under- or overestimated what you were capable of. It’s important to take this into consideration when evaluating your goals. If your benchmark for success was way out of whack, acknowledge that and adjust accordingly — don’t unfairly punish yourself for not achieving a certain target.

Are You Being Fair to Yourself When it Comes to Evaluating Your Own Success?

Your perception of success is almost as important as success itself. This is what makes goal setting so tricky. If you did an empirically great job at something but you’re still unhappy with the work you did, you may consider the project a failure. Conversely, you may realize that hitting a certain benchmark was actually much easier than you realized. That doesn’t mean you should devalue the success you experience. You just need to be conscious of measurable success and your perception of said success.

Is There Too Much on Your Plate, or Are You Striking the Right Balance?

If you’re not achieving certain goals, you should ask yourself why. Is it that your goals and metrics for success were unrealistic? Could it be that you have too much on your plate? Overcrowding your schedule and overextending your emotional resources can cause you to come up short everywhere. It’s important to be honest with yourself about how many responsibilities you’re accepting. If it becomes too much, it’s better to lighten your own load so that you can do a better job on the work you are tackling.

Start Your Productive Mornings at Dunn Brothers Coffee in Coralville

We’re a team of passionate people, and we love helping others strive toward their goals too. That’s why we create a welcoming, collaborative environment at Dunn Brothers. When you want a focused, productive start to your day, we hope you’ll join us! Learn about all of our delicious coffee roast options by contacting Dunn Brothers Coffee in Coralville, IA at 319-665-2020.