Goal Achieving Versus Goal Setting

Did you set New Year's Resolutions or yearly goals for 2009?

Many people did, and yet some have already fallen off track. Yet it's not too late; it's never too late for success! If you're one of the fallen, how can you get back into the groove in terms of making progress toward goals? There are a couple of simple things to do, and many people are just not aware of them, and consequently it's much harder for them to succeed.

By the end of this post you will have the critical tools needed for setting AND achieving your goals. Ready, set, go!

You may be wondering right about now, "what's the difference between goal setting and goal achieving?"

The short answer is: Envision...Focus...Action

Envision
First you need to know what you want. If you are at point "A," do you know where your point "B" is? What do you want to be different? What exactly do you want? Figuring out some details regarding what you want naturally helps you envision the desired outcome. Do some daydreaming and make some notes. Big goals, little goals, it doesn't really matter as long as the idea of accomplishing [it] helps you grow and ultimately makes you happy in some way.

As an example, let's assume Bob wants to increase revenue this year and he knows he can't raise prices, so he wants to serve more customers. He looks at his schedule, he imagines being able to help more people, he envisions the daily differences in his work, and the extra income earned, etc...

Focus
You already have a good start because you had to focus some energy on figuring out what you want. Let's take it a step further... You've heard that writing down your goals is important, right? Do you know why? Do you realize that by writing something down, it is imprinted differently in your mind and therefore it is more likely to "stick" and you will be more likely to succeed. You've heard of SMART goals? When you write your goal in a way that illustrates how it is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and TimeBound, you will have established the details of the goal that will help you succeed, and in addition you will know when you succeeded. Focus also includes reminding yourself consistently what you are working toward.

When Bob first told me he wanted more money, I flipped him a quarter and said, "OK, you have more money; are you happy now?" He laughed and realized he needed to get more specific about how much. After a bit of thinking, Bob's goal statement looked something like this: Increase customer services performed by 30% by the end of 2009.

Action
Goals should push us to grow and expand in some way, and this is done through mental and physical action. Smart business people strategize some before bolting into action, and they do not get bogged down in planning every detail so that the action phase never arrives.

Make a plan, don't obsess about it, do something that takes you a step closer to achievement, and repeat.

Action includes persistence. Therefore yes, it does take some discipline to succeed, but a key part of the action phase is to continue feeding your desire to achieve the goal so that you don't have to rely on tough discipline alone. You can't expect to overcome a variety of obstacles without continuing to focus on the desired outcome and reminding yourself WHY you want [it].

It's the combination of setting an appropriate (SMART) goal, focusing on the desired outcome, and consistent action that makes the difference between goal setters and goal achievers.

Bob has done some brainstorming with me, his coach, to come up with ways to better meet more customers' needs. He has implemented a referral program and a special offer on new and existing ancillary services. He continues to focus with positive expectation on his 30% goal for a couple minutes twice daily, which he noticed helps him stay in a better mood. He is excited to report some new sales the past month and is on track for his goal.

Get On Track Now!
Envision what it will be like to achieve your goal.
Focus for a moment; pretend like it's already happened and feel great about it.
Now act! Do something right now to move you in the direction of the goal.
Enjoy your success!


Sincerely,
Heather A. Legge
Results coaching for business people