Just the word goal has been overused and abused. It’s gotten to the point where people just cringe when they hear it.
How many of us made new years resolutions this year that now, almost in May, we’re trying to forget? How many of us set goals for ourselves that we have yet to achieve? Or how many of us keep setting the same goals over and over and over again? Or maybe you’ve given up on a goal? Hey, it can be disappointing, disheartening and down right depressing.You might say “Oh come on Mark, I’m busy just trying to run the day-to-day business here, when do I have time for setting goals?” I know. That’s why my fellow consultants and I here at marketingquestions.com decided to make this the lead article in our newsletter this month. We’re going to discuss how you can achieve your goals faster, easier, more effectively and have a whole lot more fun. It doesn’t have to be that hard! There ARE some sure-fire ways of achieving your goals. Let’s take a look at what Jim Ball, the founder of the Goals Institute in Reston, Virginia has to say about achieving your goals. He recommends a five step approach: 1. Make a solid commitment to your goal – achieving a goal requires “kinetic exploratory discourse.” That means you can’t learn to ride a bicycle by reading a book you have got to fall off once or twice to get the feel of it and to really understand HOW to ride a bicycle. Make sure you’re goals are laser-clear in your mind.
2. Outline a plan – the key to maintaining momentum is always knowing what to do next. Those steps will lineup like domino’s as you achieve them, each leads to the next. Take one step toward your goal everyday, even if it’s just making one call.
3. Act on your plan – every evening right down the four or five major things that you’re going to accomplish the next day. Look at the list and find the item that relates to your big goal or vision and highlight it. If you can’t highlight something every day, then you’re not making progress. You are just fooling yourself. Use chunks of time. Say you’re trying to finish a proposal. Set aside from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to work on it. Don’t let the day take you. Take control of the day.
4. Learn from your progress – make sure you’re following your plan then regularly measure what you are doing. Did you reach your goal? Keep checking and adjust your plan as needed.
5. Create systems – the difference between success and failure is habit. In business, habits are called systems. For example with sales, your habit might be calling five new prospects everyday.Out of 10,000 people, maybe 20 percent have laser clear goals. Of those, maybe 20 percent have a plan in writing. Of those, maybe 20 percent implement the plan. Of those, maybe 20 percent learn from their progress. That’s 16 people. Out of 10,000 people only 16 people will achieve their goals. That’s less than 2/10 of one percent. You can be the minority.Tips for Staying Focused on Your VisionHow can you learn to create a vision, stay focused on it, and make it work for you in more positive and powerful ways? Here are 10 tips to turn vision planning into concrete results:1. Put it in writing. As simple as this may seem, it is often the difference between a vision that works and one that is never attained.
2. To challenge yourself. Your vision must be chosen honestly, and always be true to your yourself. But you also have to push beyond your previous limits to reach new heights.
3. Distinguish between your long-term vision and short-term goals. Remember, your vision is you ultimate destination. Goals are merely the steps along the way. There is a big difference between long-term and short-term goals, but they need to be interrelated in order to get you to where you want to go. Short-term goals are the building blocks for your long-term vision. Creating your long-term vision enables you to consciously focus your creativity in a specific direction.
4. Focus on the goal not how to get there. Keep your eye on the target at all times. Life doesn’t just happened to you; you can make sure your daily choices are steps on the path to creating a successful vision.
5. Be flexible about the how. Right from the start you can rest assured that things are not going to turn out exactly as you plan. Does that mean you’re vision is wrong, or your goals are meaningless or that you shouldn’t bother to plan? Of course not. If you insist on knowing how it’s going to happen, success can smack you write in the face and you won’t even know it.
6. Visualize yourself in the future. Most people think in pictures. As you begin to right down your vision place yourself in the future and make it seem real. Record the date by which the vision will be accomplished. Then stop, close eyes and imagine that you are there. Visualize yourself as clearly as you can, what you are wearing, where you are, what you are doing. How does it feel to have already accomplished that vision?
7. Record your vision of your ideal life. This is your grandest vision of your life in your world, as you would live it at your highest purpose of potential. Let your imagination run wild and create the biggest picture possible for yourself.
8. Stop beating yourself up. We’ve all had goals that we failed to reach. As a result, people create enormous mental barriers when they think about goal setting. A failure is only a failure when you learn nothing from. Businesses fail; people don’t. It’s important to make the distinction.
9. Let your goals be changing. Life is changing, as such; your goals should constantly evolve. Make sure you review and refine your goals regularly. Today your goal might be to grow your business, but five years from now it could be something entirely different.
10. Have fun. If setting and achieving your goals isn’t fun then why bother? Let your imagination carry you away to your greatest wildest dreams and don’t limit your possibilities. Vision Planning Goal Setting Program
Like our other programs, we work with you to customize a plan to meet your specific needs. Includes course material, step-by-step instructions, and 6 one-on-one email consulting sessions held over a 6 week period. We guide you through each step of the process using an interactive format. First Two Weeks:
Process planning – show you how to identify and achieve balance in each of the key areas of your life.
Vision development – we teach you how to visualize YOUR future and show you how to make it reality
Prioritizing – we help you to define precisely what is important to you
Goal Formulation – we work with you to establish and document specific goals Second Two Weeks:
Measurement – we show you how to test your goals and make course corrections
Action step planning – outline and execute a step-by-step logical plan for implementation and show you how to get feedback on your progress
Reporting – We MAKE you “put-it-in-writing” and we teach a system of remembering and reviewing Next Two Weeks:
Delegation – how to get others to help you achieve your goals
Compliance – we help you to establish coaches in your life and to LEARN from your mistakes
Reduce stress and tension – we show you how to structure your plan so that you live a more “goal oriented” life daily with less worry I hope this helps you to improve your ability to both set and achieve realistic goals.