Long term orientation and visioning
Long-term orientation means thinking about our long term goals and the consequences of our current actions. This can help us decide on our short term goals AND make us more aware of our current behavior. It encourages us to change habits and avoid letting short-term benefits outweigh long-term consequences. One goal setting method I've loved learning about on here has been the SMART goal setting. And also the idea of needing to be ready to set goals for ourselves which can require some inner work first.
Visioning is one of the ways we can achieve long term orientation by picturing our ideal future so we can then figure out what steps we need to take to get there. One actionable way to do this could be through making a vision board or simply writing down your goals. An important piece of advice for this I'd recommend is researching! This can be a pain but honestly will (hopefully) make things easier in the long run as you can make informed choice AND can even discover options you'd never previously considered (which is something that I experienced in regards to my future career path).
I think that two main challenges I had with these skills are:
- The need for patience
- The fact that it can be very overwhelming to the point of procrastination and/or avoidance. What helped me deal with this was turning to my support system
I think these skills really help teach being purposeful i.e. taking control and responsibility which in itself is very empowering.
How do you like to envision your future? Vision boards, writing down goals? Do you follow any goal setting methods like SMART?
What's an everyday habit you've started to help achieve your long term goals?
@awesomeForever34
Great post!
An everyday habit that helps me focus on my long-term goals is journaling. Keeping a journal is a great way to think about how my day contributed to the long-term ambitions I have for myself by asking if I'm closer to my closers today than I was yesterday. Also, looking through your journal entries shows you how much progress you've truly made.
@awesomeForever34 I have started to focus on getting projects completed. Before I start more threads, I am getting down to business and getting things really complete on-ground. Tying up loose ends, shipping things out, getting stuff wrapped up and sent for where it is set. I realize doing that is a little bit difficult for me, but I am working on it. I am getting my portfolio in order, applying to jobs and actually following up.
@awesomeForever34 It was encouraging to hear that social abilities are developed rather than "natural." I used to believe that gregarious people were naturally self-assured, but I now believe that social abilities require practice. It gets easier the more deliberately I communicate. Do you believe that introverts and extroverts can both develop great social skills?
@awesomeForever34
How do you like to envision your future? Vision boards, writing down goals? Do you follow any goal setting methods like SMART?
What's an everyday habit you've started to help achieve your long term goals?
I like to envision my future in the small ways. For example, if my goal was to buy a bicycle I would look at every bicycle going by me and think "That will be me one day". Constantly thinking of it in a positive way and correlating desire with the action you are taking is a powerful way to envision it.
Personally to-do lists are everything for me. When I feel like there's a lot going on and too much needs to be done, I jot down every last one. That alone helps me get my goals in order.
The long term habit would again be to do lists. Or just lists in general. Writing down everything I need for a particular goal, before working out a way to do it all over a period of time, within the deadline but without exerting myself and sticking to that plan is my technique. Sometimes if you cant stick by the original plan, mark it on the list and plan a way to compensate quickly.
@awesomeForever34
I really appreciate how you broke this down, especially the part about patience and how overwhelming long‑term planning can feel. I relate to that a lot.
I tend to envision my future by writing things down, because it helps me stay grounded and see my goals more clearly. SMART goals have been helpful for me too, mostly because they make big ideas feel more manageable.
One small habit I’ve been working on is setting aside a few minutes each day to check in with myself and adjust my plans if needed. It keeps me moving forward without feeling pressured.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, it was really encouraging to read.
