How do you set goals? Do you get a great idea then run with it? Do you look at what's lacking in your life and fill in the blank? Do you ask others what they think you need to do? Do you make life-wheels or pie-charts about work and life and try to make it all balance? There's nothing wrong with all that. The only problem is, it's too easy to remain conceptual and 'in the head' about it. This means there's a danger that you'll either not reach your goal, or you'll reach it and realise that actually, it's not what you want at all! There's a fine art to setting the 'right' goals. And by 'right' we mean goals that inspire you, that you feel passionate about, that have real meaning for you. And, more to the point - that are yours and not other peoples'. Many of today's life-coaching approaches still rest heavily on techniques that were designed for athletes - since it is in this arena that the concept of coaching emerged. In the case of athletes, goals tend to be pretty clear: 'run 100m in 9.8 secs' 'beat the Australian marathon record' 'win the Olympic gold.' Athletes, by their very nature are generally highly motivated or they wouldn't be doing that in the first place. There is, very often, a deep passion to succeed, and this is largely taken for granted by sports coaches. Even the word 'goal' is very sports oriented. In general life, however, the goals may not always be so obvious. Do you want promotion or to quit your job? Should you move house or renovate? There are many factors to consider. And, many times, the passion isn't really there.. There is merely a sense of motivation - a need to move from A to B. And sometimes, motivation is simply not enough. 'The vision needs to be compelling. Says Harrison Owen, widely known as inventor of 'Open Space Technology' a broadly used management tool and facilitation technique, "Vision does not so much depict a new reality as create it. We do not follow our vision. We are driven by it." in Open Space, participants are invited to take responsibilty for themes and activities about which they feel passionate and committed. If you find yourself feeling jaded, flat, muted, irritated, confused or frustrated for long periods of time, chances are that you are avoiding or working against your sense of meaning in some way. Your vision is not passionate and so neither are your goals. True vitality is about full engagement in life - which means that all your energies are in alignment. In order to truly know what you want it's important to draw from more than just your head. Passion is about all of you. From our years of working with people, we have found that by drawing on wholistic awareness - namely the integration of mind, body, emotions and spirit - people can set more meaningful goals. They access deeper insights about their sense of purpose. When there is that kind of internal alignment things fall into place. Quick Tip - setting zestful goals Find a place where you won't be disturbed, perhaps even outside in a favourite spot. Have a notebook and pen handy. Sit quietly and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, let yourself relax. Now open your mind to receive insights about what you might like to bring into your life - perhaps you want more stimulating work, travel, a fitness routine. As the ideas come, let yourself 'wear' them, one by one, each time noticing how it 'feels'. How do your emotions, your body, your spirit, your thoughts respond to the idea? Make a note of what comes up for you. Does the idea energise or open you? Or does it feel constrictive and limiting? Is it exciting or draining?

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