Master Goal Setting with These Simple Packing Lessons

Throw Some Stuff Together and Hope for the Best Doesn’t Work for Packing, or for Goal Setting

My husband was packing for a week-long trip to Panama. Piles of clothing, medication, shoes, technology, and snacks covered our bed. Somehow, all of that “stuff” needed to fit inside one carry-on bag.

As I played packing-cube-Tetris, finding room for everything he wanted to bring inside his bag, I realized that his style of packing was very similar to his style of goal-setting. Create a goal for anything he thought might possibly get him to the end result he wanted, then be physically unable to fit all of them into the number of hours in a day. So, he would maximize the number that could be done, regardless of their importance.

I realized there were many lessons to be learned about goal-setting from effective packing strategies. Because “have your wife do it, she’s better at it” is not a sustainable long-term strategy.

Start with the Essentials

When I’m going on a trip, I make a list of every event I will be attending, or activity I will be participating in. At a minimum, I need clothes (or gear) for those. I also need the basics of modern life — electronics and chargers — as well as toiletries. These are my essentials.

In a similar vein, when setting goals, you need to know both your overall vision and what specific targets you are attempting to reach within your current timeframe. Your essential goals are the key objectives that align with your core values and vision, for this period of time.

Research First

Before you go on a trip, you need to research your destination. What is the weather going to be like during your stay? What clothes are appropriate for that weather? What is included where you’re staying, and what will you need to bring? How long is your flight, and what will you need to carry with you?

Similarly, before you set goals, you need to research your short- and long-term destinations. Is your ultimate vision something you can achieve soon, or will it need to be broken down into sub-goals? Make sure your goals are enough of a challenge to keep you making progress, but achievable so you don’t give up.

Engineer Flexibility

When packing, you don’t bring a bunch of outfits that can only be worn once, and that all require different accessories. You decide on an overall color scheme, so that shirts and pants can be mixed and matched as conditions dictate. As much as possible, you plan to share accessories.

You can do the same thing with goal setting. Instead of arbitrarily picking a target for a goal, which may end up not suiting your situation, you can set a goal to make a detailed goal by a certain date. Or plan that you will do a certain activity, but leave open for how long or for how many repetitions.

Use Resources Efficiently

The key resources for luggage are space and weight. You can use space-minimizing strategies, such as nesting items inside of other items, or rolling clothes to expel extra air. Packing cubes are another way to densely pack items.

When it comes to setting goals, your key resource is time. Break down larger goals into smaller, more easily managed goals. Then arrange those goals so that they make the best use of time. If you need to wait for a response or input from someone else, make sure you’re doing something productive toward your goals.

Don’t Go to Extremes

There are minimalists who can travel the world with only a toothbrush and a change of underwear. There are others who feel constrained by having only 2 suitcases, carryon luggage, and a small bag — for a weekend trip. A happy medium gives you some choice and backup, without bringing things you’ll never use. Or requiring you to buy items at your destination.

The comparable challenge with goal-setting is the difficulty. You don’t want goals that are so easy, they don’t motivate you and waste your talents. But you also don’t want goals that are so impossible, you give up on ever reaching them. One “high, hard goal” for the long-term and attainable short-term goals is ideal.

Plan for Contingencies

After you have packed your essentials and enough flexible items to be comfortable, you will still have a little room. Now you think about contingencies. A sewing kit. A small first-aid kit, or handful of Band-Aids. Extra medication, socks, and underwear in case you are delayed.

Review the goals you’ve created. Where could problems occur to throw you off track? Develop contingency plans that will get you back on your path. Build the time into your plans. Professional project managers always add a buffer in the project plans they create, for just this reason. And if the problem never occurs, you finish early and under budget!

Review and Adjust

After your trip, before you put everything away, compare what you packed to your requirements during the trip. Did you pack things you never used? Did you need things you hadn’t packed? Make notes and improve your packing process for next time. And go through your trip photos to select the best ones to save.

Similarly, have regular review sessions for your goals. Were you too optimistic, or too conservative? Adjust your goals moving forward. Are you meeting your goals but not advancing toward your key objectives? Change the goals to things that will give you progress. Above all, look back, notice how far you’ve come, and celebrate your wins.

Conclusion

Use clever packing strategies to pack your life with goals that help you to achieve your most cherished visions.

• Start with essentials

• Research your end state

• Engineer flexibility in goals

• Use your resources efficiently

• Choose attainable difficulty

• Plan for contingencies

• Review and adjust

Vision to Reality™️ Program September Cohort

You have a dream, a vision of the 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
Where things are 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 than they are now.

But 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 from making it happen:
• You're 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗱 by how much there is to do
• You set goals for yourself but 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 them
• Your family and friends 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 you
• You start strong, but then 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀
• You're afraid of 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘁
• You 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱-𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 all your choices
• You 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 any interest in it
• You don't know 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁

You may think "it's 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺."
But this is having 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀.
Not creating this future is 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
It's taking a toll on your 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀.
It's hurting your 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀.
Your health is 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.
And your 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Here's the 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀.
The 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆™️ program
Has 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 each of those issues.
With workbooks, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀, & journal,
You'll know exactly 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 at each step.
Get 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 over rough spots.
Be in a 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 with other dreamers
Who are all 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 in their own ways.

Past participants say, "I feel 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 than I was."
And "After decades of dreaming, it's 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴."
They've 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 their future selves in a big way.
And are being flooded with 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.
Their 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 and so will the world.

The question isn't, "Can you 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹?"

The question is, "Will you 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰?"

The next Vision to Reality cohort 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.
It will be beginning in 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.
And finishes just before 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀.

See the infographic below for the complete roadmap of the program.

Interested in joining the next cohort in September? Reply to this newsletter, and I’ll reach out to you to discuss next steps.

Usually, I tell you a little about the history of the person whom I am quoting. But the quote for today is by someone about which very little is known beyond her name. The quote is widely attributed to her and repeated all over the internet.

But who is she, beyond having said this one thing? Was she herself an author, or was she someone quoted in an interview? Was she known for anything other than having traveled enough to have gained some wisdom?

Good advice can come from unexpected, and even unknown, sources. So can bad advice. In the end, you take what advice you get, and you make your own decisions.

And then, enjoy the journey!

Jennifer Dunne, Caribbean Compassion Coaching