Goal Setting 2009 - Part II

In our last article we discussed the first steps in goal setting: prioritizing the areas of your life by importance; writing down wants and needs; defining obstacles and then listing solutions, which are “bite size” action steps that you start today. We wrote about the importance of writing down your goals and of charting your progress. This is where we’ll start today.

So, go pull out that list you were working on. Remember, writing down your goals provides clarity of thought and that is what stimulates motivation. As you examine your goals, focus on one at a time and review the small action steps you listed. How many action steps have you taken so far? Be sure to record your actions and the results. Did your action work, if not, think about why it didn’t work. Here you will need to think of yourself as floating above your situation, think outside the box, as a separate person. Evaluate your actions. Did you really try? Do you need to make some modifications to your solution list? Go for it! Remember, the solutions are supposed to be actions you can do today.

When thinking about your goals, first consider your intentions? Did you know that goal setting and intentions are linked? Intentions actually precede goal setting. If you fall short of intention, you will not likely achieve the goal you set. What a concept! Intentions are the thoughts behind your actions and the justification behind your words. Get these in order and your actions will follow.

See yourself having accomplished your goal. Do you feel the satisfaction? Think about it. Feel the success?

Spend two to five minutes each day reviewing your goals and the steps you are taking to reach them. If you see yourself in a new life’s work, know that you must learn what is necessary to be able to perform this work. Did you do your daily homework? If your goal is to learn to play a musical instrument, you must set aside time every day to study and practice. A little success everyday will provide the motivation you need to keep working on it.

Now, back to charting your progress. Write out your goals, obstacles, suggested solutions and any changes to those solutions (you can expect to make some changes). You can keep this outline in a journal or on Post-It notes, stuck to your bathroom mirror. Looking at them every day will help you take those action steps. If you choose the Post-It note idea, after you complete achieve your goal, take it off your bathroom mirror and put it on your bedroom mirror. Each day as you dress you’ll be able to relive your success.

Your assignment is to write out your goals with “I intend to” at the beginning of each one, and accomplish one action step each day. Next month we’ll cover time management and the feared “TO DO” List!

Goal Setting - Looking Ahead to 2009

Now that America is experiencing a change in administration and looking forward to a new year as well, what are you planning for 2009?  One thing we've learned in our business mentoring, each person needs to be able to take care of themselves.  Each of us must take a few minutes to make plans for the next year.  Remember that if you make no plans, you put your future in to the hands of someone else and who knows what they'll have planned for you. 

First, find a quiet place.  Have a pen and paper handy.  Make a Dream List.  Write down everything you ever wanted to have, see, do and be.  Don't laugh, just write.  

Next, take a moment and rank the areas of your life in the order of their importance to you today: Family, Financial, Physical, Mental, Spiritual and Social.  Setting a priority system will reduce conflict in goal setting.  Reflect on this list regularly, don't be surprised if your priorities change as you and your circumstances change.

The next step is to take each of the priority sections and begin to write down specific wants and needs.  Don't write down vague concepts, be specific.  For example, "I want to become a good writer."  Then begin to write down ways to measure this goal, things that you can begin doing today to accomplish it.

Ok, no excuses!  Remember that excuses are the lies we tell ourselves, they come from the loser inside of you.  But if you want to go this way, let's use them.

List three obstacles to this goal:  1. lack of confidence; 2. lack of training; 3. lack of experience.

Now, isolate the first obstacle, "lack of confidence," and list three possible solutions:  1. read a book on writing; 2.  practice writing; 3. volunteer to write for a service organization about a subject about which you are knowledgeable.

Next, isolate a solution, "practice writing," and list three possible solutions to it:  1. take three random words and write a story around them, set a timer for five minutes and rapidly write what comes to your mind.  When the time is up, stop.  2.  pick a topic you are interested in and write three paragraphs.  3.  write about your last shopping experience.

Continue this practice until you have isolated one action step that you can take today.  

After you have defined the goal, listed the obstacles and developed a solution plan, you're ready to set a deadline.  This need to be flexible, but it will give you motivation to remain focused.

Many people stop at this point, the truth is they've only just begun.  The next step is to list the personal rewards you will gain from achieving your goal.  Be creative, list as many personal benefits as possible.  Make the benefits outweigh the obstacles, this will give you motivation.

Once you have the goals process written out, you will need some additional actions to keep you on course.  Two methods frequently used are affirmations and visualizations.

Affirmations are positive statements of belief and commitment.  They are statements of conditions you want to exist in the future.  " Being a good writer gives me great personal satisfaction."  Stating this affirmation daily will build the confidence necessary to become a good writer.  Keep these affirmations personal (use the words "I" or "me"), use present tense, and be positive.

Visualization is a form of mentally saying to yourself "act as if."  Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics, used to say, "Fake it 'til you make it."  See yourself accomplished.  Mental accomplishment comes first before physical accomplishment.  If you can conceive it, if you can believe it, you can achieve it.  

Another step in keeping the process alive is to chart your progress.  Keeping track of your progress will build confidence and success consciousness.  It also makes it easier to make adjustments in your techniques.  Keep a record of both goals achieved and goals not accomplished.  List the reasons why.  This will help you set future goals.  

Remember, the goals process is a continuing activity.  Spend time every day reviewing them. This will project them into your subconscious mind and help you achieve them.

Billie and Robert

www.GotStoneSoup.com

"The recipe gets better and better"