Goal Setting as a Healing Process
- Ken Campbell
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
The purpose of goal setting is to facilitate desired outcomes. We set goals expecting to achieve results.
So why do we so often waste time and just settle for mere words on paper? A toothless tiger?
In terms of growth or healing even the revered SMART goal does little to move the needle on incrementing towards progress. So why do we waste time on goal setting by using it simply as a routine administrative task? Why do we just write something up and tic the box "Done!" versus using goal setting as an actual growth/healing process in itself?!?
Answer is Simple - most people are following a Business model and not a Health Care model.
One, if not the, standard model taught to almost everyone is the SMART goal. SMART goals can be very useful in a Health and Wellness model if used properly. Indeed I do that routinely and rarely do I ever need to go beyond Goal Setting to have the client release the problem and achieve results. I have taught this for over a decade to my students in my college programs and now will be offering advice on this through a series of posts here and on my website.
The origins of the SMART goal comes from Project Management for business.
In 1981 George T. Doran, a consultant and former Director of Corporate Planning for Washington Water Power Company published a paper titled "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives".*
Key points - Corporate Planner and Managements Goals
First off living beings are not corporations! If your working on healing or growth in humans, or animals, each of them are individuals with unique aspects, multiple layers and a plethora of nuances again on multiple levels. They are not a unified corporate group working towards a solitary externally manifested task (e.g. build a car, assemble a computer, etc) They are a grouping of multi-factorial, exquisitely dynamic, interplay of NUMEROUS individual "departments" or "business units" (senses, organs, systems, thoughts, memories, beliefs, social mores and structures, etc...) the extent of which would put the workings of any department or section at the largest company look microscopic in comparison..
Secondly is the concept of Management. Management means to limit, constrain or exert control over. Management is neither leadership nor creative, both of which are expansive energies whereas management is a constrictive energy. Neither is wrong and both are needed in the right measure . . . but if it was you or someone your trying to help, would you rather "Manage a problem" or "Create a solution" ?
This is one of the topics I will address in a series of posts here and on my website. By putting this stuff down in writing I can reach a more people that being in a single classroom.
However in a live classroom it's easy to read the room and see if your getting the message out there. Writing is a different format and needs different delivery to get good results. I can use your feedback to improve. Please let me know your thoughts, comments and awareness to help me hone my message and help other readers learn even more from additional perspectives.
Thanks
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