| “Don't torment yourself
with dreams upon which you don't plan to act.”
Joe Tye, National Business Employment Weekly Take out a pen and paper.
Now write down your goals for this last year. Can you remember all of them, or do you already have
them written down? Star all
the goals you completed. Circle those you may need to continue into next year. "I
can't," you say. "I've
never written my goals down in the past. Why should I start now?"
It's simple and yet profound.
If you truly want to achieve your very best professionally and
personally, then take the time each year to establish written goals. In the 1950's, Yale University found that fewer then five
percent of the seniors in a particular graduating class had developed
career goals. When the
graduates were surveyed 30 years later, researchers found the
individuals who had actually taken the time to write down their goals
owned 90 percent of the total wealth from that graduating class. Over four hundred years ago, Michel de
Montaigne, the French essayist wrote, " No wind favors him who has
no destined port." In
other words, you'll keep sailing around in circles unless you decide
upon a final destination. Written
goals mean you have decided upon a final destination and have then
created a plan to get there. Recently, I worked with a couple that
owns a small business. Even
though they have experienced moderate success over the last few years,
they believed they could grow faster and bigger if they had a written
plan. After a day together, they had: 1. Established where they wanted their business to be within one year. 2. Outlined what was preventing them from reaching their long-term goals. 3. Outlined what activities or action steps (objectives or short-term goals) they would need to complete to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of completing their new goals. 4. Decided who was responsible for each short-term goal and when it would be completed. 5.
Charted the goals by calendar quarters.
This insured that goals were done in a timely manner and that
there was not too much to do in any given quarter. Pinpointing career or personal goals is an important step to accomplishing Your goals. It is easy to write them down. The tough part is focusing on them on a daily basis in order to achieve them. You will never get started on your goals however if you do not create plans that will help you accomplish them. We need to be realistic and honest with
ourselves when we establish our goals and view them as something that
can be accomplished. When
you establish your goals, consider the following: Believe you can succeed. If you don't think you can accomplish something, you won't. Believe in yourself and your ability to create what you want in your career and personal life. A positive attitude is part of every success story. A positive attitude will help you weather the challenges and failures you will encounter along the journey. Write them down. Simply put, what is it
you really want? Put that
on paper. Examples
might be increase sales by 15% this year or purchase a new home within
two years. When you write
something down, it is the initial step in making a commitment to
complete the task. It is the first step in examining what it will take
to obtain what you want. Make them your goals.
Make sure the goals you pursue are your goals, not someone else,
like your spouse, parents or boss.
If you are not totally committed to completing a goal you have
written down, then it is not your goal.
You will only put maximum effort into completing goals that you
personally own. Be specific.
Generalized goals are vague and do not provide the necessary
focus needed. Pinpoint
completion dates and amounts in each long range or short-term goal.
Goals need to be tangible. For example "complete 50 cold
calls every week," or "attend a word processing training
program by June 15" are measurable and very specific. You know at
the end of each week or by the end of June whether you completed the
goal. Remember, completion of the short-range goals (or sometimes called
objectives) support achieving your ultimate goal. Make a commitment to excellence. We've
all heard the old saying…if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.
Make a commitment to complete each and every task right, even if you
can't stand what you are doing. This
may mean you have to learn a new skill or seek help from someone.
Make that commitment however and you will feel a great deal of
satisfaction. Review your goals every day. This reaffirms your commitment on a daily basis.
It also helps you to measure how far you have progressed in your
efforts. If you are not
making progress on your goals, why not?
What is holding you back? Do
you need help? Do you need to adjustment your goals? A daily review keeps you in touch with your ultimate goals
and helps you to make decisions based on where you want to be a year
from now. Overcome your fears.
Sometimes getting what we want means facing our fears.
When we allow a personal
fear to stop us from completing a goal, then we have given total control
over to an emotion that only existents in our head.
You will also need to examine the shoulds, won'ts and can'ts that
surface in the your mind. These self-defeating thoughts will sabotage
your ability to complete your goals. Post them everywhere. Post them on your
bathroom mirror and refrigerator.
Put a copy in your pocket calendar so you see them everyday.
Carry a copy in your wallet. A famous movie star wrote out a
check to himself for $1.5 million and carried it in his wallet. He
believed in his ability to reach his goal, and the check reminded him of
this fact every time he opened his wallet. Include some training along the way. It
is important to stay current with your industry trends as well as
sharpen the skills you use on a daily basis.
Commitment to attend a one day training program or a
professional conference will
help you evaluate if your goals
are current, refresh your professional outlook and help you
stretch your creative muscles. Prioritize every single day. Once you have established your goals, it is your
responsibility to focus on them every single day.
Plan your daily activities to support the completion of your long
range and short-term goals. You can do this by making a daily to
do list. Weigh the importance of each activity on your list in relation
to your goals. Ask
yourself, "do the activities listed support my ultimate
goals?" If not, then
it may be time evaluate if the goals you have selected are really what
you want to accomplish. Create a daily log.
At the conclusion of each day state in your journal or log,
"to reach my goal of ___ by___ today I ___." Then list
the activities you performed to complete your goal.
The log will help you to focus your efforts, celebrate what you
have accomplished and evaluate regularly if you are headed in the right
direction. Create a picture board. Either draw
pictures on a poster board of what your life will look like when you
have completed your goals, or cut pictures from magazines and create a
decoupage. Post your creation where you will see it ever single day.
You need to begin to experience the feelings you will have when
your goals are completed. The picture board will help you to experience those feelings
everyday. Have a support system.
It is important you surround yourself with people that will
support you in your efforts. Besides
your spouse, friends or boss it is sometimes helpful to have a
professional coach, a mentor or be a member of mastermind group.
All three will help you hold yourself accountable, support your
efforts, offer assistance when obstacles or fears get in the way or be
there at the end to celebrate your success. Know the obstacles.
If you want to complete your goals, you have to know what stands
in your way. Anticipating
major risks or obstacles can help you prepare and plan for them. Often
it is best to tackle the obstacles first, so the remainder of your
efforts will be easier. Celebrate!
You've done a great job! You
completed what you set out to do.
Pat yourself on the back, share it with
friends, and shout it to the world.
It is time to celebrate and enjoy your rewards.
This step is just as important as putting your goals on paper. If you want to insure professional or
personal growth, then goal setting will help you succeed.
You will never know if you are living up to your full potential
if you do not establish goals and strive to complete them. Think of them
as steppingstones to help you move forward in the direction you want to
go. Setting goals is easy. The tough part is to achieve them. That requires your commitment, energy, flexibility and the desire to take action on your future dreams. Will you have what you want a year from now or five years from now? The choice is yours. Grab a piece of paper and start writing. |
