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Setting Goals that Sizzle
Kim Nishida
Do you start the year off with phenomenal intentions and
suddenly find yourself facing December 31st with little to
show for it? Do you have a mental wish list of things to do,
places to visit, or home improvements to make that's a mile
long and getting longer? Are you feeling kind of ho hum about
your career?
Your problem may not be a lack of self-discipline or an over-booked
day planner, but simply an inability to set the right targets…goals
that sizzle. Walk through the following eight steps and say
good-bye to chaos, overwhelm, and unfulfilled wishes.
STEP 1: Connect to Your Desire
This is the first and most critical step in creating successful
goals. If you can't answer the question, "Why is this goal
important?" get ready for an uphill battle. If you are setting
work-related goals that are not your choosing, ask, "How does
this goal impact me? Does planning the company picnic for
my boss earn me a fantastic performance review, the recognition
of my peers, or the satisfaction of creating a memorable event?"
Dig around and find a nugget of passion that you can relate
to the goal at hand.
STEP 2: Plan Ahead
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without a plan
is a nightmare." -Japanese proverb. Once you've pin-pointed
an undeniable desire for this goal, develop a written plan
of action. One of the most widely used methods of goal planning
is the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented,
Realistic, Time-framed. Take the time to satisfy in detail
each of the criteria in writing.
STEP 3: Become Either a Visionary or a Task Master
Are you are fantastic list maker who gets easily overwhelmed
by a towering to do list? Take a step back from the nitty
gritty and look farther ahead. Write a vision statement by
looking at the big picture. Or are you a dreamer who has trouble
getting focused? Break the big goal into the tiniest possible
tasks. By listing the easy-to-manage smaller steps, you will
see that even baby steps help you reach your goal.
STEP 4: Make Two Promises
Make yourself accountable for both the tasks and the ultimate
goal. First, make a promise to others: your family, customer,
or business associates. A study showed that salesmen hit their
targets consistently if their projections were made public.
So promise others you will deliver. Secondly, make a promise
to yourself based on the desire you identified in step #1.
Write your goal with a specific deadline and post it where
you are bound to see it several times a day.
STEP 5: Make It Active vs. Passive
Don't fall prey to the "if/then" mentality: "If I win the
lottery, then I'll get in shape. If I get a new job, then
I'll be happy." You will only succeed if you make your participation
mandatory. Don't rely on fate to save the day.
STEP 6: Cultivate Flexibility
Even though you have an outstanding goal with a task list
carefully crafted down to the tiniest detail, remain open
to change. Those who hold fast to a prescribed outcome are
less likely to roll with the punches and often quit whenever
things don't go as planned. Remain open to a myriad of possibilities.
STEP 7: Engineer a Supportive Environment
Don't believe that reaching any goal is necessarily born out
of massive self-discipline and painful sacrifices. Consider
creating the right environment to support you in your efforts.
If you struggle with exercise, you might draw up a workout
task calendar. However, a more supportive environment can
include hiring a personal trainer or, better yet, volunteering
to coach the local youth soccer team on a weekly basis.
STEP 8: Have Faith
Believe in your success. If you believe that you will fail,
you will prove yourself right without even trying. Banish
doubt and embrace every failure as a clue leading you one
step closer to success. .
Want more tips like this? Pick-up your free subscription
to The Success Hot Sheet and some nifty bonuses at www.readytoevolve.com.
Kim Nishida is the author of the innovative programs, Stop
Wasting Time! and Conception to Completion, helping you realize
your company's full potential.
Article Source:
http://www.articlerich.com
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