Future Goals

This is an activity we run during the Skillkick time management training courses, but it is something you can do alone or with a group of colleagues.

Very few of us take the time out to reflect and think about the future and what we clearly want. This fun activity is a great way to think about the future. What do you want to be doing in a year’s time or five or ten year’s time? This activity helps you determine your priorities.

Take coloured pens and coloured squares of card

Jot down on slips of card or paper all your ideas for the future and put them into a hat.

This is a variation on drawing names out of a hat; if you have’t got a hat, then any container will do – buckets, boxes, cereal boxes etc. Then one by one you and your colleagues draw them out and decide quickly which of three piles you will put it in:

the URGENT MUST DO pile – these speak for themselves!

the TO DO SHOULD DO pile – these are pretty important and need returning to. They require more of a detailed analysis and you need to check who is saying your should – you, some one else in your family etc? You can then decide whether shoulds turn into urgent must dos or discarded.

the FILE WOULD LIKE TO DO pile

Once you have your categories, you need to turn your urgent pile into a list of goals that you will actively pursue! Remember you would never eat a chocolate elephant whole… so chunk your goals down into smaller tasks.

Why not plan an afternoon with colleagues to let your mind flow freely and explore the future of your company / sector / unit.

Think of key words, phrases and trigger ideas associated with the images you have in your mind about the future.

Use colours throughout the activity. Colour is attractive to the eye and aids memory. It will reinforce your ideas in your mind.