Set Goals Like A Bird Watcher

bird watching in guatemala

redbreasted oriole

On a recent trip to Guatemala, I went bird watching and realized that the thrill of the bird watching chase can be applied to goal setting. How? I might achieve more if I lighten up my approach to goal setting, and not reaching a goal might not be the end of the world.I am one of these people that have been setting goals on January 1st since I was a young competitive tennis player.  My approach has been to set goals that are a stretch and achievable.  For example, last year I wanted to obtain a coaching certification, get two big consulting clients and 5 to 7 coaching clients.  I achieved all of them.  But am I maybe setting my goals too low?During my bird watching trip, we had to wake up BEFORE the crack of dawn to meet our driver/birdwatcher guide named Santiago at 5:30 am to drive to the hills outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  Then, we found a really noisy spot where there is a multitude of birds.  Next, we got out the big binoculars with the tripod as our guide proceeds to listen and watch for birds.  Santiago begins tweeting to attract a certain type of bird.  He watches birds fly across and walks swiftly to try to find the little creatures with his binoculars.  We quickly follow too.  Santiago will say something like, "Come and look at the Social Fly Catcher!"  We immediately grab the binoculars...and sometimes we are graced with a bird and sometimes he flies away too quickly for us to see.  (The "he" in the bird world is deliberate as the males are the ones to watch for with their rainbow of colors covering them.)  The process continues for several hours of patiently waiting, listening, and moving quickly.  It is difficult to describe the satisfaction one has when you are looking at a winged creature the size of my fist for only 1 to 2 seconds.  And, even if I am 1 second too late, I know there will be another tiny creature with a rainbow of colors to be seen in the near future.  Santiago found us 20 birds to swoon over in four hours!What bird watching has taught me is twofold:  go big or go home and don't lose faith when things don't work out. Our guide aimed to have us see as many birds as possible but there were many that we didn't see.  The surprise and delight of bird watching comes from aspiring to see as many beautiful creatures as possible along with a lot of patience and the belief that even if you miss seeing the Red-breasted Oriole, there is another equally colorful winged creature that will soon follow.In contrast, my approach to goal setting prior has been more a fist in the back approach.  I made sure my goals are achievable. If I don’t see the Red-breasted Oriole then, I feel like I have to settle for second best.  Once negative thoughts start to invade, I start feeling disappointed and my potential for creativity and new possibilities begins to fade. After birdwatching, I've realized that a mistake or the achievement of something slightly different than planned might be equally as good if not better.  In other words, aim high AND stay positive and curious.  The positive mindset will lead you to what is next.As we begin 2013, set big goals and don’t be afraid to change them or be pleasantly surprised by what else you might achieve!