The Circle
You cannot hit what you don’t aim at. Setting your aim begins with identifying what you want to aim at. And with The Circle, it’s never been easier. Buckle up, grab a pen, and get ready to think about what you want and don’t want in your life.
One of the reasons goal setting may have felt overwhelming for you in the past is because you may have jumped right into attempting to set detailed goals without actually knowing what you want.
I like to use the metaphor of an airplane flight. The Circle is your view from 30,000 feet. Big picture stuff. Think broad horizons, possibility, white fluffy clouds and a beautiful landscape that stretches for miles.
START HERE: download and print The Circle worksheet
Think of The Circle as a brainstorming session. In fact, I use the concept of The Circle to guide brainstorming sessions all the time. I use it to dream about vacations, projects, and to plan my week. The Circle is a great concept because it’s so simple. You only have to think about two categories: what you want and what you don’t want.
STEP 1:
Set a timer for 5 minutes, and right now I want you to focus only on what’s inside your circle—what you want. Write words, phrases, you can draw little pictures if you want. Also these can be abstract ideas (like love, laughter, connection) or concrete ideas (like a Great Dane puppy or a cabin in the Rocky Mountains).
If you’re doing this exercise in a group, it’s particularly beneficial to share this process out loud. If someone says something you like, write it in your circle too! The person next to you who said “great sleep” didn’t invent the concept of great sleep. If you want great sleep too, write it in your circle.
STEP 2:
Okay now it’s time to focus on the outside of the circle—what you don’t want. Same rules. Five minutes.
FINALLY:
I want to remind you (especially if this is your first time setting goals) that you are just getting started. There is no way that you can figure out everything you want in your life in 10 minutes on a Tuesday afternoon. You’re opening doors in your brain that perhaps have been closed for a very long time. You will probably be falling asleep in your bed tonight and your eyes will snap open with something you should have written in your circle. So set this sheet of paper on your breakfast table or nightstand. Let this be a living document in your life over the course of the next few days.
