When was the last you checked your goals?

Offices are opening up. The economy is bouncing. People are on the roads. It feels good to dine out, catch up with friends and get the ‘normal’ life back even though we have moved on and/or redefined the very meaning of ‘normal.’

As we once again adapt to returning to our ‘before the’ pandemic lives, it is perhaps time to take a pause and ask of oneself how the lock down and work from home has impacted our priorities and goals. Maybe we will once again need to reassess them.

Taking regular stock of your goals

Just as we regularly take stock of groceries at home or check on our responsibilities that we have across the many roles we play in our lives (partner/spouse/parent/sibling/friend), goals too require a constant peep in. And sometimes, one may need to shake and stir them!

When was the last time you checked on your goals, either professional or personal? Each goal calls for an investment of time and resources. Time may be money, but money cannot make time! One has to be dedicated and focused on what one wants to achieve in life.

Here are three simple questions that one can ask as a quick check-in towards the journey of achieving one’s goals.

• Is your goal clear?
• Is your goal desirable?
• Is your goal worthwhile?

As a next step, rank each answer across a spectrum of 1-10, one being the least and 10 being the maximum. Detach yourself (one thing that really works for me here is to actually move a step back and peer into what I have written) and take a hard look. Be honest and truthful to your own self.

The next step is to follow the ‘PAW’ process:

Possible – is it possible for you to achieve your goals?

Ability – do you have the skills to achieve your goals?

Worthiness – are your goals worthy for you?

Write down every thought that comes to your mind. What is the pattern that you see?

Every goal is doable and achievable

Goals personify our dreams. Our ambitions. They provide an insight into our aspirations and the accomplishments that we want to be identified with deep down. Goals are born out of our own belief that we can do better; we can grow and learn new things. If over the years our goals have remained the same, then it is time for us to do a serious introspection. Where is growth in doing the same thing same way year on year?

In the initial month of the pandemic many thought that their goals were going to be non-attainable. None of us were aware whether we could swim this tide or get drowned in the deluge of sorrow, pain and uncertainty. There was suddenly a new layer of complexity in thinking and balancing work with personal care. No office had ever trained anyone for dealing with this duality. Nothing had prepared us to look inwards and seek deep answers. With time, we learnt to pick up the threads and weave a new braid personifying our goals. One that had the new and the old interlaced.

It is said, where there is a will, there is a way. But, with Covid around, many could just see a wall and no way around it. How does one even find answers for questions never asked before? Where does one look for solutions to issues that were non-existent earlier? This uncertainty lead to introspection and cast a piercing eye into issues of mental well-being and self-care. The answers, surprisingly, lie within us.

We can either tell ourselves that our goals are now difficult to attain or, we can tell ourselves that we can switch from the negative to the positive! I challenge you to write down all the positive things that have occurred in your life because of Covid. I am sure you will be surprised at what you discover.

It has been eighteen months since Covid made an entry. What strikes you the most?
To me, it has been the revelation that everything is doable and achievable!

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Sarita Bahl

Sarita Bahl is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Swedish Institute of Management Program. An experienced and versatile leader, she comes with nearly four decades of professional experience. She has over the years successfully overseen the communications and public affairs function and led the corporate social responsibility strategy for Bayer South Asia, Pfizer, and Monsanto, among others. Sarita has held multiple roles across diverse industries, the public sector, trade associations, MNCs, and the not-for-profit sector. Her areas of interest include advocacy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and communications.

As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Senior Practitioner (Mentoring) from the European Council of Mentoring and Coaching (EMCC), Sarita specializes in career transition, inner engineering and life issues. Sarita enjoys writing and is passionate about animals, books, and movies.