ysabetwordsmith: Text -- three weeks for dreamwidth, in pink (three weeks for dreamwidth)
ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote in [community profile] goals_on_dw2025-05-05 01:54 am

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth: GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward)

This year during Three Weeks for Dreamwidth, I'm writing about goal-setting frameworks for [community profile] goals_on_dw. Read Part 1: Introduction to Goal-Setting Frameworks, Part 2: The 1-3-5 Rule, Part 3: The 12-week Year, Part 4: ABCS (Achievable, Believable, Committed, Specific), Part 5: Backward Goal, Part 6: BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), Part 7: BSQ (Think Big, Act Small, Move Quick), Part 8: CLEAR (Collaborative, Limited, Emotional, Appreciable, Refinable), Part 9: Goal Pyramid, Part 10: Golden CirclePart 11: GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward).


Part 11: GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward)

The GROW framework has four components: Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward. Goal is the objective you want to reach. Reality includes the current circumstances and context. Options can include various paths and strategies to pursue your goal. Way Forward describes the specific steps you will take to achieve your goal.

Three Weeks for Dreamwidth April 25-May 15


Unlike many other frameworks, this one encourages you to think about what's happening around you and how that affects you. What resources do you have? How much time? Are there other people who will help or hinder your project? How will you account for these things in your planning? That makes this a great choice for people with a lot of environmental variables that can impact their ability to pursue goals.

Another key feature is options. Many other systems try to pin down everything they can. This system encourages you to consider a wide range of possibilities. Make sure you have a primary plan, at least one alternate and preferably more. Use this approach when you need flexibility due to circumstances outside your control.