Many years ago when I first started writing out my goals, I was advised to write them out as be, do, have goals. Until that moment I was just writing out a goal, any goal and working towards it. Sometimes I’d write long goal lists however, I never categorised my goals into to be, to do or to have. I do now as I see the power in be goals. The to be, do, have model for goal setting is a useful goal strategy to use. See how your goals are aligned. Learn how to be more successful with to be goals.
What are be, do, have goals?
Goals can be classified into 3 categories, with classification being interlinked across all areas of life. The three types of goals are to be, to do and to have goals.
Be: Be goals are about who you would like to become. Jim Rohn said “if you want to get more, you have to become more.” And, Hal Elrod said “Your level of success will rarely exceed your level of personal development because success is something you attract by the person you become.”
Your be goals are about you, your character, your career, you as a parent, you as a person, your future ambitions, the way you inspire others. An example of a to be goal could be; to be a good role model
Do: Do goals are about experiencing and achieving things in life. Like places that you would like to visit, activities you’d like to do. Maybe live on a houseboat, walk the Camino de Santiago, learn to play an instrument, learn yoga, run a marathon, help in a homeless shelter. I’m sure you can think of many to do things to add to your list.
Have: Have goals are about what you would like to own or have in your life. Own is the material things like a nice car, a home or two. Whereas, the other part of to have goals is; health, friendships, freedom, security.
Naturally, you can’t just write down your goals, you only achieve them with action. Hal Elrod spoke on repetition and how boring and tedious it is which is why few people ever master anything. Yet, to achieve things in life it is important to master skills.
Areas of life for goal setting.
As you think about the different areas in your life and write down your goals, think too of the skills you need to master to achieve them. Below are the areas I divide my goals into. You may split your goals into other spheres of life.
- Business/career
- Relationships
- Family
- Health
- Financial
- Mental
- Spiritual
- Lifestyle
Once you have written your goals classify the goal into the 3 types. Do you notice any alignment?
For example, if you have a goal to run 5k then your be goal may be, to be more healthy. Your to do
Related post: How to write down your goals for a balanced life
I know when I first wrote a goal list. I had a lot more do and have ambitions, then I had to be goals. My lifestyle goal list was long. It was, however, when I tuned into personal development so I could achieve some of my goals, that I saw how important it is to have be goals.
Related post: The ultimate guide to life goals with core value list
It is personal development goals that help you achieve more in life. As to have more you need to become more.
22 personal development goal examples; Be more …
- Confident
- Proactive
Self loving - Loving
- Of a friend
- Grateful
- Open-minded
- Mindful
- Optimistic
- Healthy
- Realistic
- In balance with life
- Forgiving
- Productive
- Thankful
Self reflective - Caring for self and others
- Open minded
- Empathetic
- Creative
- Patient
- Resilient
The best way to become more is to read more, learn more, teach and inspire more. Yes, that means stepping out of our comfort zones and taking action towards our goals. Growth takes place with personal development.
Be, do and have goals are often interlinked with each other. For example, you may have a goal of being an author. Writing a book is a do goal and having a top 10 best seller book is a have goal.
When you list your goals as to be, do and have you will see how they interconnect, just like the author example and running 5k example I mention. The do and have are ‘the what‘ you want to achieve and the be is ‘who you need to become‘ to achieve your life’s ambitions.
Have you written out your goals and seen how they align with be, do and have? Check too if they align with your core values. You can get the core value checklist here.
This is something that would benefit everyone who wants to be successful in life. Being first before doing and having would heal so much in our world. Thank you for putting the ideas so succinctly.
I really connect with your posts on goal-setting. Such a fresh and unique approach. I really liked this in particular. Thanks so much!