Many people struggle with achieving goals, not because they aren’t serious, but because they don’t know how and don’t have a map to follow.
Whether learning to knit, play chess, hit a baseball, ski, or take exams, having a proven formula or system to follow will improve your success rate tremendously. Setting goals is commendable but how does one actually implement the process, avoid the obstacles and naysayers, and follow-through to success?
For those of you who want to do this but are fearful, congratulations. If you weren’t ready to take it seriously, then you wouldn’t be feeling fearful or anxious. Take a step toward that fear and you will conquer it.
Remember to have fun as you stretch yourself. The process isn’t always easy. Here is a series of steps that will provide you with a higher probability of achieving your goals.
1. Select a Personal or Professional Goal
Examples:
- Health and exercise. Reduce calories by 38 percent per day, hit the gym three times per week. Do 100 miles a week on your bike.
- Improve organizational gross revenue by 35 percent in the next 12 months.
- More quality time to spend with my beloved and children
2. Identify the Benefits to You and/or Your Organization for Making This Change
- Feeling better, more energy, improved appearance
- Less stress, happier employees, stronger financial company, improved market share, growth of my business or the department I manage
- A loving and happier home environment for my children, my beloved and me
3. Identify Strategies for Accomplishing Your Goal
Identifying strategies is a three-part process. First, list ideas for possible strategies to achieve your goals. Next, consider the obstacles that might keep you from reaching your goals. Finally, consider ways to overcome such obstacles:
- I could get up before work and hit the gym, I could go directly after work.
- Proactively coach my employees and set clear accountabilities with timelines.
4. Obstacles That Might Get in the Way
- I hate getting up early, this is a hassle, and I’m tired after work.
- I don’t have time to coach people.
- I don’t like setting clear and firm accountabilities because I don’t know what to do if they don’t achieve them?
5. Consider Ways to Overcome Such Obstacles
- I used to work out after work and it actually gave me more energy.
- I need to re-prioritize my day and make time to coach. We have a great team; if we did this, the gross revenue targets would be very attainable.
6. Adjust Your Surroundings for Successful Goal Attainment
The people and habits you currently have in place can greatly influence your behavior. By creating supportive surroundings, goal attainment can be a successful and satisfying process. Examine your support system. Family, friends, subordinates and superiors can all help or hurt your goal attainment efforts. Help and teach people how to help you attain your goals.
7. Implement Your Strategy and Record Your Progress
Make a game out of it. Wall charts that measure growth are magic at encouraging consistent improvement.
8. Reward Yourself Along the Way
Rewards are key to human motivation and make the process more enjoyable.
9. Make Adjustments as You Progress
If you determine that success is not happening like you hoped, review your goals, barriers, and support systems and make adjustments. Persistence is important, but, if your goal process ends up being all work and no fun and you are beginning to dread the change or feel like quitting, it’s time to adjust your approach. Adjustment is a normal part of your evolutionary change process.
Kelly Graves is the CEO of Chico-based Internal Business Solutions, Inc. Visit the company’s website at www.ProfitWithIBS.com. He can be reached at Kelly@ProfitWithIBS.com.
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