Does your goal have a hidden agenda?

What is the hidden agenda? In a few words it’s the goal behind the goal.It is often the reason why, you chose that specific goal. But somewhere along the line forgot.

An example goal with a hidden agenda

I think easiest way for me to explain this to have given an example from my own life experience. where the hidden agenda was staring me right in the face.

I met someone who had big business ideas for my business. To grow my business so that I have financial freedom, and all the free time that I want to The structure required me to work, virtually 24-hour this a day, seven days a week just to pay an employee to do telesales and pay the cost of advertising. He warned me that it would take 2 or 3 years before I start making any money to live off for myself. I’d be working just to break even for a few years.

The goal could have made sense, but didn’t

This for many would seem like a brilliant business plan. Yet I couldn’t understand why I should work my guts out to employ someone else. Right my business and growing at a steady pace, and it is keeping me comfortable. I can my free time now, with the way I am working now. Sure my business isn’t making me rich. But it is giving me the freedom I seek. It would be so easy to lose my purpose for going into business for myself and make it a purpose in itself.

Over the two or three years time, my business will continue to grow and I can pace myself and enjoy my leisure time now. Naturally I want my business to be successful, so that I can enjoy my leisure time, and afford it. It is very easy for growing my business to become my primary goal, and allow the primary reason I went into business to become the hidden agenda. I can avoid this by remembering why I went into business.

It’s not only me who has goals with hidden agendas

I see a similar vein when people tell me they are working to have free time so that they can be with their children and attend their graduation without financial worry. Yet they are working longer hours to try and achieve this. Meanwhile, the kids are missing out on this parents attention. By the time the money might be in the bank, the kids could have left home or you missed some very significant years. The reason why they were working so hard, is forgotten. The hidden agenda is that they really want to have freedom so that they can enjoy being with their children. But they are so focused on the goal of building their business that their reason for wanting a healthy income is their hidden agenda.

So what is a hidden agenda?

The hidden agenda is a real goal but so wrapped up in another goal you miss it. So when you review your goals or are not making progress towards them, have a closer look to see if you can find a hidden agenda. The real reason why you put that goal into action in the first place. That hidden agenda needs to become a goal too. Perhaps you need to schedule that time with the kids or to pursue that hobby.

Why is it important to make sure that hidden agenda is an open goal as well? Because you can undermine yourself, acting as if you are working at and at the same time, goofing or sabotaging your progress. A part of you may recognise that if you succeed you’ll lose what you are striving for. You may find yourself feeling stressed, getting angry or even wondering why you even bother. They are signs that your original goal had a different purpose and an important goal has been hidden. So with all the goals you have written down for this year, check to see if there was a hidden agenda or two. Ignored it can sabotage that goal.

© Alex K Viefhaus