5 Essential Steps to Achieve Your Goals
©2017 Kari Carlisle
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Christmas is over, and the new year is fast approaching. If you’re like me, these days between the holidays are a good time for reflection on the past year and what lies ahead.
I recently read that the human brain has a tendency to dwell on the negative, and so, it’s hard to recognize successes rather than regret the failures. And that tendency just sets you up for more failure. Therefore, step one in achieving your goals is to recognize this self-defeating behavior, learn from past mistakes, and refocus on strategies that have led to past successes.
Step one will require some work. You will need to reflect on past goals, what tactics you used to achieve them, and whether or not you were successful. You may need to write all this down, and you may need the help of someone close to you who will be tactful and honest. Do what works best for you, and do not skip this step. It’s the very definition of insanity to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. If you were not successful before, you must change your strategy and tactics.
Step two is to create ONE goal. This goal must be measurable and achievable in a short period of time. Why? Because you’re going to run a test. No sense coming up with multiple goals to achieve over the coming year only to reach this time next year with nothing to show for it. You need to identify what is going to work for you.
Since weight loss is a very common goal, I’ll use that as an example. Goal: I will lose 10 pounds by January 31. This goal is measurable and achievable in a short period of time. This makes it more likely to achieve than the generic goal of “losing weight next year.”
Step three is to strategize how you will achieve your goal. What tactics will you use? Common strategies for weight loss include diet and exercise. Tactics drill down to the specifics – what will your diet consist of, and what kind of exercise, for example.
Step four is one that no one ever does, or if they do, they use it as an excuse to never even get started. You must identify the resources you’ll need to achieve your goal. Depending on the goal, the resources may involve time and money, space, tools and materials, and they may also include mental (knowledge, emotional) and physical resources, as well as outside support. Don’t worry about the resources you don’t have at this step. Just list all the resources you need. In our weight loss example, you’ll need a scale, food (the right kinds), time to exercise, mental determination to defeat cravings, and perhaps a cheerleader.
Step five is the preparation you need to do to get started on your goal. Here’s where you work toward obtaining the necessary resources. If a resource is not obtainable, you need to revise your goal or your strategy. Do NOT abandon your goal. Let’s say your circumstances make it difficult to find the time to exercise as you had planned. Instead of giving up in defeat, revise your strategy so you can exercise in a way that fits your schedule. You may have had dreams of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, but alas, you have a job. So, dust off the boring treadmill, and exercise while watching the news.
As part of obtaining needed resources, you may need to remove some barriers. Barriers are anything that’s going to get in the way of achieving your goal. They are the things that may distract you such as snack foods, television, and people who do not support you. The worst barriers could be internal – that tendency toward negative thoughts and a defeatist attitude. While it may be difficult or impossible to completely remove these barriers, you must be aware of them and have a plan to overcome them.
Okay, now you’re ready to start your short-term test.
After it’s over, you’ll need to go back to step one – evaluation. Did you reach your goal? Or not? What worked for you? What didn’t? Did you miss a critical resource that you needed? Even if you did not achieve your goal and everything you tried met with failure, that’s good! It’s good because you spent only a short time to learn what works and what doesn’t. You didn’t spend a whole year trying to accomplish something only to fail. Now, you have an opportunity to grow from this experience and start fresh.
And if you did succeed in meeting your goal, congratulations! You have the same opportunity to grow and start fresh. Add new goals. Expand on your goals. Set mid- and long-term goals. Just remember to always evaluate, define your strategies, and make sure you have all the necessary resources. The beauty of this process is that you can grow exponentially as you utilize these steps. Setbacks are only means to identify strategies and tactics that don’t work for you.
Whatever your goals, when you find the strategies and tactics that resonate with you, stay with them. If rewards work, always use rewards. If you live for crossing things off lists, then always use lists. Don’t let anyone else’s idea of “the correct path” to a goal infiltrate what you learn about your own personal motivations.
Here’s wishing you great success in all your endeavors in the years to come!
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Christmas is over, and the new year is fast approaching. If you’re like me, these days between the holidays are a good time for reflection on the past year and what lies ahead.
I recently read that the human brain has a tendency to dwell on the negative, and so, it’s hard to recognize successes rather than regret the failures. And that tendency just sets you up for more failure. Therefore, step one in achieving your goals is to recognize this self-defeating behavior, learn from past mistakes, and refocus on strategies that have led to past successes.
Step one will require some work. You will need to reflect on past goals, what tactics you used to achieve them, and whether or not you were successful. You may need to write all this down, and you may need the help of someone close to you who will be tactful and honest. Do what works best for you, and do not skip this step. It’s the very definition of insanity to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. If you were not successful before, you must change your strategy and tactics.
Step two is to create ONE goal. This goal must be measurable and achievable in a short period of time. Why? Because you’re going to run a test. No sense coming up with multiple goals to achieve over the coming year only to reach this time next year with nothing to show for it. You need to identify what is going to work for you.
Since weight loss is a very common goal, I’ll use that as an example. Goal: I will lose 10 pounds by January 31. This goal is measurable and achievable in a short period of time. This makes it more likely to achieve than the generic goal of “losing weight next year.”
Step three is to strategize how you will achieve your goal. What tactics will you use? Common strategies for weight loss include diet and exercise. Tactics drill down to the specifics – what will your diet consist of, and what kind of exercise, for example.
Step four is one that no one ever does, or if they do, they use it as an excuse to never even get started. You must identify the resources you’ll need to achieve your goal. Depending on the goal, the resources may involve time and money, space, tools and materials, and they may also include mental (knowledge, emotional) and physical resources, as well as outside support. Don’t worry about the resources you don’t have at this step. Just list all the resources you need. In our weight loss example, you’ll need a scale, food (the right kinds), time to exercise, mental determination to defeat cravings, and perhaps a cheerleader.
Step five is the preparation you need to do to get started on your goal. Here’s where you work toward obtaining the necessary resources. If a resource is not obtainable, you need to revise your goal or your strategy. Do NOT abandon your goal. Let’s say your circumstances make it difficult to find the time to exercise as you had planned. Instead of giving up in defeat, revise your strategy so you can exercise in a way that fits your schedule. You may have had dreams of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, but alas, you have a job. So, dust off the boring treadmill, and exercise while watching the news.
As part of obtaining needed resources, you may need to remove some barriers. Barriers are anything that’s going to get in the way of achieving your goal. They are the things that may distract you such as snack foods, television, and people who do not support you. The worst barriers could be internal – that tendency toward negative thoughts and a defeatist attitude. While it may be difficult or impossible to completely remove these barriers, you must be aware of them and have a plan to overcome them.
Okay, now you’re ready to start your short-term test.
After it’s over, you’ll need to go back to step one – evaluation. Did you reach your goal? Or not? What worked for you? What didn’t? Did you miss a critical resource that you needed? Even if you did not achieve your goal and everything you tried met with failure, that’s good! It’s good because you spent only a short time to learn what works and what doesn’t. You didn’t spend a whole year trying to accomplish something only to fail. Now, you have an opportunity to grow from this experience and start fresh.
And if you did succeed in meeting your goal, congratulations! You have the same opportunity to grow and start fresh. Add new goals. Expand on your goals. Set mid- and long-term goals. Just remember to always evaluate, define your strategies, and make sure you have all the necessary resources. The beauty of this process is that you can grow exponentially as you utilize these steps. Setbacks are only means to identify strategies and tactics that don’t work for you.
Whatever your goals, when you find the strategies and tactics that resonate with you, stay with them. If rewards work, always use rewards. If you live for crossing things off lists, then always use lists. Don’t let anyone else’s idea of “the correct path” to a goal infiltrate what you learn about your own personal motivations.
Here’s wishing you great success in all your endeavors in the years to come!
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
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