Here we are, the first week of January. The traditional time goals for the new year is upon us! What is the difference between the people who set their goals and reach or surpass them and those who fall short? What things can you do to make your goals more achievable or even likely? Read on to determine what determines your goals achievability.
It is easy to dream big and set lofty goals. I want to earn $100,000 this year, I want to increase my sales $x dollars, I want to have more confidence in myself and try new things. These are all great goals, attainable goals. These goals on their own are not just going to happen. The missing piece is how are you going to do that? If you want to make $100K or increase your sales, start with where are you now? Come up with a list of 20 things you can do to get there. There is science in the 20. Sometimes the last few things you come up with are the best because they are outside of the box thinking.
The confidence goal is a little trickier. How do you measure confidence? How do you know if it has changed? With confidence or any other thing you want to set goals around, you can create a metric for it. How confident are you right now on a scale of one to 10, one being not at all and 10 being super confident? Then you can go back to the last paragraph and think of 20 things you could do to increase your confidence. Yes, 20! It is important.
Next look at you list of 20. Pick 2 or 3 that you think might really work. Decide how you will try them, creating your action plan. For example to increase my confidence I will ask one question in every meeting, I will talk to a new person at work every week, and I will write down one thing each day that I am proud of myself for.
Once you have your clear action plan, decide how you will be accountable. Perhaps you will share with a friend and keep each other accountable (accountability partners). Maybe you will keep yourself from your celebratory Friday wine until you have all your boxes checked. Find some way to help you be accountable.
Next, you need to be consistent. Do these things you have determined for a few weeks, a month (30 days) is a great sample time. When completed, look back. What worked? What did not work? Adjust your action steps and try again. You may need to go back to the drawing board here and revamp your action steps.
Here are the steps:
- Create your Goals
- Create a metric for your goal
- List of 20 (how) action steps
- Choose 2-3
- Assign Accountability
- Be consistent for 30 days
- Assess What worked/ didn’t work
- Revamp (if needed) and try again
Following these 8 steps should give you an exponentially better chance at reaching your goals this year.
One more secret weapon is to look deeper as you set the goals, and really clearly lay out your why. Why do you want to lose those 30 pounds? What will that get you? You might determine that it isn’t just about the number on the scale. Perhaps it is something bigger, like increasing your health so that not only are you around to meet your grandchildren but healthy enough to run after them. Determining your why you will create a much stronger buy in for yourself. It isn’t just about a pound on the scale, it reminds you what you have to gain by meeting your own goals. This buy in helps you get up at 6am because it is the only time all day, or to leave that piece of cake on the table. It helps your goals become more achievable.
I hope you make 2021 a great year. That you concentrate on something important to you, set your goals and reach them!! Post your goals on innovation’s page on Facebook - and add your why!!
Happy New Year!