In recent weeks, we have been discussing goal setting. In the article, “4 Things to Remember When Setting Goals,” one of the key points is to understand that change takes time. Over time, in order to achieve your goals there must be a balance between focusing on the small details that make up your day, and continually reminding yourself what you are striving to accomplish.
Too often people either get so lost in the details or so focused on the final results that nothing ever gets accomplished. You must keep a balance of both or time is wasted.
One of my team members loves to bake and one of her favorite things to make is pie. She’s explained that occasionally she gets so focused on the idea of a finished pie with a flaky golden crust releasing a delicious cinnamon steam that she misses a key ingredient—like the cinnamon! Other times she gets so distracted with the details of setting up for the pie that she loses focus and decides to make something else, or simply not make anything at all. Neither of these scenarios produces optimum results or accomplishes the original goal.
The same thing can happen in any project or task we undertake. While we cannot accomplish a goal without first taking small steps and putting in the work to handle the details to make our goal a reality, we must also be careful to not get so caught in the details that we never make real progress toward the goal. That balance of not overlooking important details but always keeping the end in mind is absolutely critical.
3 Steps to Keep the Balance Between Details and Results
- Simplify the Details – If it is not essential to completing the goal, get rid of it. Do not let your pursuit of unnecessary details sabotage your goals. “Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” – Henry David Thoreau
- Remind Yourself of Your Goals – The quickest way to fail is to forget where you are going. Know what you want to accomplish and where you are heading. “Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them.” – Les Brown
- Continually Align Details with Goals – Always look for the alignment between the task and the goal. It makes the task easier to accomplish and gets you closer to the goal. “You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” – Alvin Toffler
Within every organization there are big-picture thinkers who have no problem keeping the end in mind but don’t always consider all the steps to get there, and there are task-oriented thinkers who focus on the details and sometimes lose site of the end goal. No organization would function well without a mix of both kinds of thinkers!
So no matter where you fall on the spectrum, remember not only to work on the balance with your own goals, also remember to collaborate with your coworkers and colleagues who might be on the other end of the spectrum. Together, you can work to leverage your unique strengths, accomplish your mutual goals, and achieve greater success—personally, professionally, and organizationally!
