Daily Reflection for Better Self-Discipline: Balancing Short and Long Term Goals
Self-discipline is about self-control and the ability to control your thoughts and actions. The only way to become more self-disciplined is to become more self-aware. A great way to become more self-aware is to practice daily reflection for better self-discipline. The good news is daily reflection is also fun and provides a terrific way to focus and achieve the life you desire. At least if you realize that daily reflection is a means to an end: to figure out what you’re doing right, what you’re doing wrong, and what to do next.
Identify The Thing You Need to Reflect On
Taking time out of your day to identify the issues you want to consider is helpful. Don’t go through the process without determining the specifics you need to think about. Once you’ve identified the issue, you will reflect on setting up a plan of action to gather the correct data that answers your questions. Reflection will only help if you’re truly looking at reality.
Give Yourself Time
The only way to truly reflect is to plan it by setting aside time to meditate, journal, write about it, walk it out, or otherwise consider the issue you are trying to reflect on. Then, give yourself a set period after any event to practice the reflection in the manner that works for you.
For example, if you completed a project at work, you’ll need to sit down and think about what went right or wrong and, more importantly, what you can do differently next time, and that will all take some time and not happen in five minutes.
Be Honest
As you reflect, don’t try to be nice to yourself or anyone else. Be realistic. Note the things that went right and the things that went wrong. Note what you’ve learned and what you still need to learn. If you could have done anything better considering what you had the responsibility for, it’s okay. Next time you will because you’ve given it the honest consideration you need to. Note what you could have done better and how you will do it next time and move on.
Focus On the Lessons
As you reflect on anything in your life, whether it’s business or personal, focus on the lessons you can learn and do not blame for either good or ill. If the data shows that you could have made different choices, it’s good to know. Simply focus on the realistic data that you’ve generated so that you can get to the bottom of cause and effect. Once you understand the true effect or impact of any action, you take it’s easier to take thoughtful action in the future.
As you reflect on each day, it’s important to understand that it’s not about judgment. It’s not about assigning blame or recognizing success either. Reflecting is about noting what happened and why it happened and what you plan to do differently next time, but it’s not about assigning blame or even kudos. Instead, it’s about understanding the cause and effect of the thing you’re reflecting on realistically so you can act with more self-awareness and skill gained by practice.
Long-Term Goals Vs Short-Term – Which Is Better?
As you embark on effective goal setting, it’s imperative to understand how important it is to set short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Setting all types of goals will lead to experiencing a more well-rounded and successful life.
A short-term goal is usually accomplished quickly within a day – a few weeks at most, while a medium-term goal encompasses goals from a few weeks until about six months. Finally, long-term goals include goals that take longer than six months to reach.
Pros and Cons
The differences in how long it takes to reach a goal and how you plan the work aren’t that different. You set the goal, determine what constitutes success, know when you want it to happen then work your way back doing the list of activities you developed that you know due to your research will achieve your objective.
However, there are no real disadvantages to either type of goal. The only problem with any goal is taking the time to go through the SMART goal-setting process and taking it seriously by mapping it all out before you begin. Plus, you don’t want any goal that you’re currently actively working on to take longer than a year to celebrate results. If you determine via research that a goal will take longer than a year, break it down to a shorter goal.
For example, if you realize that it will take you five years to save enough money for a down payment on a new home, don’t focus on that. Instead, focus on the yearly amount you will put away and break that down into the monthly amount you’re putting away.
Examples of Each
Some examples are listed below to get an idea of long versus short-term goals. Note that for some people, a short-term goal is really a long-term goal. For example, if you want to lose one hundred pounds or save more than twenty percent of your income, that is a long-term goal because it will take longer than six months to be healthy. Breaking this long-term goal down into smaller shorter-term goals will make it easier to achieve without feeling overwhelmed.
Short Term Goal Examples
· Losing a couple of lbs.
· Saving a small amount of money
· Passing a test
· Joining a book club
· Learning a new hobby
· Making a new friend
· Breaking a bad habit
Long Term Goal Examples
· Losing 100 lbs.
· Saving for a car or new computer
· Being accepted to a specific program or school
· Getting a particular certificate
· Running a marathon
· Writing a novel
· Starting a business
As you can see, the difference is only how long the goal takes to achieve. However, the long-term goals can be broken into smaller short-term goals as well. So, while many short-term goals will be part of a longer-term goal, sometimes you can make a goal on the fly, such as “If I finish my work early today, I’m going to the park!”
Both Serve a Purpose
All types of goals serve a purpose. There are no real downsides to either kind of goal. The only difference is ensuring that you can reach your goals in a reasonable amount of time when you set them. If you can’t reach the goal in a year or so, it’s important to backtrack and break it up into a smaller, more achievable goal.
