By Dr Kim Fenton and Penny Ombler
Bernard M. Baruch, former statesman and US presidential advisor once said, "We didn't all come over on the same ship, but we're all in the same boat." Mr Baruch was an astute observer.
Achievement is an important part of overall success. So, will achieving your professional goals make you happier? Where goal setting has traditionally been focused only on achieving the goal, we'd like to put forward the concept that an equally important role of goal setting is to allow us to enjoy today, rather than waiting until goal achievement to enjoy tomorrow. It's the old adage of focusing on the journey, as well as the destination.
If you set off on a road trip without a map or identified destination, every fork in the road becomes a source of anxiety and pressure. Every road is filled with tension because you don't know when the next fork will appear, forcing you to make decisions that you are ill prepared to make, and placing you in a constant pressurised environment. Therefore, on that trip, you can't enjoy the landscape or the sunshine, because you are consumed with uncertainty and stress. However, with a destination in mind, and a plan on how to get there, you are able to relax and enjoy each part of the journey, feeling the sunshine and stopping to smell the roses.
If you expect that the mere attainment of your goals will make you happy, you may have circumstances where you reach your goals only to find that you are no happier than you were before. This is particularly true if you sacrifice your happiness in order to achieve your goal. Identifying the right goal for you will ensure that both your journey and the end result will add to your current level of happiness, as well as bring you success.
In relation to career or business success, goal achievement is vitally important. In relation to happiness at work, the emphasis is not so much on attaining the goal, but on enjoying the journey. So in business, we need both. The ideal situation is that you set a goal for you which:
If these three aspects of goal setting are in place for each of your goals, your goals will add enjoyment, significance and meaning to your work and you will find both happiness and success in the workplace.
In order to experience the type of success that leads to true happiness and fulfilment, you need to honestly define what success looks like to you. It can be whatever you want it to be. The key is accepting that what inspires all of us varies greatly between people. Ensure your goals uphold what you value, what you are good at and what you enjoy. Your definition of success cannot be handed down to you. You can share it with others, and that is how successful partnerships are achieved; with shared values and purpose. However, it is crucial to ensure they are shared, rather than imposed.
Some of you might be asking: "What if I feel that my company or business imposes all of my goals on me through my key performance indicators, sales targets, market drivers etc?” The key is ensuring that you have chosen your particular career or business venture for a good reason. If your chosen business or career incorporates what you value in life, is directed towards maximising your strengths and is planned out for future success, then you will have every opportunity to harness these internal drivers to ensure that you can find enjoyment and meaning in your current role. If, on the other hand, your career choice was driven by the expectations of others, or the search for more money, you may struggle to identify the enjoyment and meaning in the daily tasks.
Everyone wants to be happy, and most of us would be thankful if our happiness went hand in hand with our success. When our goals enhance our enjoyment of life, each move we make towards goal achievement is a move towards further happiness. That same enjoyment will also help us maintain our journey to our goal, securing the success that comes with goal achievement. You have the fire within you. Enjoyment and meaning are what will keep it burning bright.
With over 33 years combined experience, Kim Fenton and Penny Ombler founded Successful Minds with the vision of providing personal and organisational development via compelling and constructive coaching and training. www.successfulminds.com.au.
