So you want to make a change. The "pain" of your current situation has caused you to want something different. You may exclaim, "That's IT! Something needs to change with this. I am going to______."
Congratulations, you just initiated a new goal! Even if it's not new. What counts is that you feel motivated and intend to do something to change your current situation. Yep, it's that simple. You said you wanted to change, but do you really think of it as a goal? Probably not- until you've written it down, talked about it with a few people, maybe posted it on Facebook, or acknowledged it as something you want -it doesn't feel like a "goal." However, realize that you told yourself and anyone in earshot that you have an INTENTION. You can choose to make it a goal (or not). Why did you say it, if you didn't really want to make a change on some level? So now what?
That spark of motivation, no matter how small, can be leveraged to pull you through the first couple of challenges...but to make it all the way you must ensure first that you set the right goal for YOU, for right NOW.
Do You Really Want It?
There are some key differences between goal setting and goal ACHIEVING. The most critical difference is that Goal Achievers have set the right goal: not just any random intention becomes a goal worthy of focus and effort. Do you really want it? When you think about actually achieving your goal, it should scare you a little bit, and excite you a lot. If it's not the right intention-come-goal, then don't worry about it. Think about what you DO want.
From Intention to Goal
What exactly do you want to change? When it comes to goals, the more clear and specific you are, the better. This essentially gives your brain a blueprint so it can get to work. Can you imagine hiring a contractor to build your dream house and not giving them clear instructions? What a disaster!
A Technique
A. Often it's easier to start by identifying what you don't want. *Do it now.* What specific things bother you about the current situation and why? Make something of a list. You don't need to show it to anyone, but at least consider that this a very effective tool for fueling your motivation (plus it's free!).
B. Now review the list of what you don't want. For each item, identify the opposite, and create a short list of things you want to experience once the goal is achieved.
C. Use your notes and thoughts to rough-draft a goal with some specifics (at the very least, you need enough detail to know when you are successful).
From Goal to Reality
Write your goal down. We all know that writing down a goal significantly increases the chances of success, and one of the reasons why is that the process of forming exact words to describe the goal makes it more concrete in the mind (becomes the blueprint for success!). A best-practice in achieving goals is to use a Goal Card. Write the goal on a small card and carry it in your pocket or wallet every day. Every time you come across it, think about how great it will be once you succeed with that goal. This will increase your focus and help you more easily make changes in behavior or decision-making that leads to success.
Want an example? This is the story of a client in real estate (*name changed):
Claire* avoids making follow up calls. She loses another client one day and she believes it is due to lack of timely follow-up and she is frustrated with herself. She vents her anger by banging some stuff around on her desk and beating herself up verbally, then proclaims tomorrow is a new day. She thinks about it some that night, and in the morning she is ready to consider how to change and begins making her list:
1. I forget to follow-up sometimes, I forget to add people/calls to my to-do list or calendar.
2. I sometimes lose business due to my lack of professional follow-up.
3. People are disappointed when I don't call or email like I said I would.
4. I feel uncomfortable making these phone calls, I'm afraid I am bothering people or they think I am pushy. I feel guilty when I don't do it, then it drains me.
She considers the opposite, or desired outcome, for each:
1. I have a good system for tracking follow-up tasks and don't rely on memory.
2. I build trust and credibility by following up in a timely manner, which earns me more business.
3. People are impressed when I call or email exactly when I said I would.
4. I feel comfortable making follow-up calls; I know people enjoy talking with me and I feel good about keeping the commitment and it gives me energy.
Claire takes a break, then comes back to it later to draft her goal statement:
She acknowledges that she likes talking with people and she enjoys helping people through her work. She writes, "I actually enjoy making follow-up calls and have achieved my goal of completing all my follow-ups within 2 business days of all my meetings during the week." She writes it on a small card and puts it in her wallet. She reviews it twice daily that week, once before each follow-up call session. She tries a few different things. It works: her goal statement becomes truth!
Happy Achieving!!
Heather Legge