Goal Creating - How To Get Clarity When Creating Goals With a One Page
Mind Map
By Mark McClure
"How do I set goals?" is a question that coaching clients often ask me.
They understand the mechanics behind goal setting but get frustrated about
whether these goals are relevant to them or not. If a client is open to
change i.e. coachable, then I often find that a simple mind mapping exercise
can help them come up with goals they can commit to. This article
describes how you can use this process with nothing more than a pencil, a
piece of paper and your own imagination.
Take your piece of paper and write your name in the center. Then draw
seven equally spaced lines radiating out from your name at the center. At
the end of each of these lines write the following keywords: career, family,
finances, health, and peace of mind, community, and spiritual. Feel free to
replace any of these categories with your own.
Make sure when you're doing this exercise that you have some peace and
quiet. This is a time to allow that still, small voice of your own
creativity to make itself heard. Now focus on one of the categories and
think of some things that you want to create in that area. For example, if
you choose a 'family' category, then you might decide it would be great to
have a regular monthly family treat day. A time where the whole family
(where practical) goes to a movie, to a restaurant or outdoors to a park, or
to a sports event etc. Summarize that idea in one single word and add it as
a sub-branch underneath the main family category. In this case let's say we
choose the sub branch to be 'treat'.
Do your very best to filter what you want down to one single word. This
will train your mind to sift through many of the ideas that come up and
group them into an overall theme. You can drill down into the detail later
-- when setting specific plans. If you have any artistic ability you can
also draw a small sketch beside the keyword. And maybe add some color to
highlight what you think is important or interest.
Repeat these same steps for the other categories. Of course you don't
have to choose in every category -- it's entirely up to you. At this point
in the exercise some of my clients will protest. They will say things like,
"This isn't realistic!" Or, "My family and friends will never accept this."
Or even, "This is impossible" -- that's a popular one! My response is to
have the client also focus on what they don't want in each of these
categories - and even add it to the map as a single word in each category.
Now that they have made a start in identifying what they do want, it can be
helpful if they contrast those desired things with what they don't want.
It's usually inevitable that some things about their current reality are
probably going to have to change. And that may include elements of their
family and personal relationships.
The last step is a simple one but it is not easy. For each of the items
you have chosen in your categories ask yourself this one question: "If I
received this exact thing today could I accept it?" You may want to write on
your map in pencil "yes" or "no" to that question in each category. It can
be a big surprise for some clients, even a shock, when they realize they are
not sure if they can accept it. There are ways around those blockages using
a coaching model with a mind map structure to guide you.
For more on mind mapping and getting clear on your goals, I invite you to
"Discover How To Create Incredible Yet Reachable Goals - in this FREE
14-page report":
Goal Creating Report
Mark McClure is a Japan-based e-coach to goal creators and also a mind
mapping mentor.
http://www.goalcreationmaps.com/art
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