Why Traditional Goal Setting Doesn't Work
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Monday, 9 April 2007 |
If you have a $100.000.000 in the bank, drive new Lexus, look like a movie star and have a perfect health save yourself some time and do not read this article. This article is for people, who don't have all these things, but are planning on changing that slight inconvenience.
So how do you change it?
Every January millions and millions of people decide to start better and healthier life. We plan to change so many things and set so many goals. "I will exercise at least three times a week", "I will spend more time with my family", "I will find a better job", "I will stop smoking" the list goes on and on.
Now if you know anything about goal setting, you'll know that the
first thing you have to do is to write down your goals on a piece of paper. Then you have to decide step-by-step how you are going to achieve those goals and form a plan of action as detailed as possible. All you have to do just follow the plan.
That's a great theory, which hardly happens in reality. In reality your enthusiasm and concentration lasts a couple of weeks and than everyday routine gets to you. You skip an exercise here, get frustrated and smoke a cigarette there, or start jumping from one goal to another and at the end of the year nothing ever gets done or achieved.
Why this theory alone doesn't work.
1. We often have so many goals it is hard to know where to start and how to proceed
2. We continually jump at different goals and as a result nothing gets done
3. It is hard to remember all the goals
4. Enthusiasm and excitement wears off
5. We don't have enough time
6. We don't have enough will power to follow through
Due to all these reasons you need a very strong motivator. Something that will pull, push or drag you forward. There is only one thing powerful enough to do that and it's a VISION.
You'll still have to write all of your goals down. Then take that piece of paper and envision yourself after achieving all these goals. In order to succeed you have to become a person capable of succeeding, you have to start thinking like that person, act like that person.
Make yourself truly believe that you are looking into your future through the crystal ball. Remember every little detail - expression on your friends faces, proud look in you parents eyes. Feel the warm breeze on your face, smell the salty air of the ocean, imagine your new house on the beach.
You need to create a vision so powerful, so desirable, so compelling that it draws all your energy and motivation to it. It has to become an obsession. You have to feel something that a person finding an oasis in the middle of the desert would feel. Absolute excitement and complete determination. Then any goal becomes possible. |
posted by ezimind @ 12:10 pm  |
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Goal Setting - The Baby Step Approach
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Tuesday, 6 March 2007 |
 Have you ever noticed how many people talk about not being able to keep their New Year’s resolutions at this particular time of the year? After having set a number of lofty goals, the daunting task of following through with those initial commitments faces us all. We often end up frustrated and feeling guilty when we are unable to follow through on our good intentions and we fall short of our target. Many of us have even given up on the whole idea of setting well-intended goals, having come to realize that the time spent in frustration is not worth the effort. How would you like to begin transforming your life for the better this year with less effort and less frustration?
I have great news for you. Rather than set major resolutions for 2007, how about setting a few goals for this next week? Just as a baby experiences life in its entire splendor one step at a time, you too should consider using the “Baby Step” approach to setting your goals. I often recommend to my clients that they place themselves in the shoes of an infant just learning to walk. When making positive transformations in your life, imagine that you too must take short steps in the form of specific goals that you could realistically accomplish within a short period of time. If you are new to goal-setting, rather than set lofty goals that you may or may not realize in 2007, start first by taking that initial step of setting and accomplishing goals within a one or two-week period of time. Most individuals are able to stay focused on short-term goals if the chances of success are high.
Once you have experienced the joy and boost to your self esteem that successfully realizing your goals brings, take a moment to reward yourself and celebrate those successes. I have found that when my efforts are rewarded on a regular basis, I am willing to stay the course and not give up. Your rewards could be as simple as taking in a movie, dining out, soaking in the bathtub, or a day at the spa. The whole idea is to gradually change your mindset through a process of experiencing the small successes in life. The frequent rewards, coupled with the on-going benefits of those personal victories, are what is going to keep you motivated to continue realizing your goals. By creating the conditions that favor success, you establish a win-win relationship between your goal-setting and goal realization.
Your successful completion of any goal that you set for yourself depends on the level of desire you have for that particular objective. Before embarking on a year of positive transformations in your life, consider identifying those goals that are in line with your core desires in life, those things that you are passionate about and really turn your crank. In doing so, you set yourself up for success. It is much easier to stay the course when you are fired up about something than choosing something that you feel you should do, be or have. Your internal motivation that comes from pursuing your core desires almost always outlasts and outperforms those goals that are primarily being motivated by external factors.
If you truly desire change in your life look first at what passions you could transform for the better over the next two weeks. Experience the inner joy and satisfaction of achieving these “baby step” victories. They will spur you on to explore other goals in other areas of your life. If your desire is to embark on a journey to reach your full potential, then consider realizing goals in all aspects of your life. It is this balanced approach to goal-setting that moves you closer to being the person you would like to become.
To help you with this process, take some time to formulate answers to the following six questions:
What is my purpose in life?
Which core relationships do I need to foster more?
How could I add greater value to other’s lives?
What do I need to improve upon with my physical well-being?
How could I develop a more positive outlook on life?
What do I need to learn in order to either advance in my career or improve my financial situation?
Once you have identified those specific areas that you could begin transforming in your life, take a moment to write out your top five or six goals. Post them in a place where you will be regularly reminded of them, such as your fridge, mirror, or bulletin board. As well, I would suggest that you carry your initial list with you, either in your pocket, purse, wallet or day planner. In doing so, you are subtly reminded throughout the day about the benefits your true desires for positive change are providing you. These reminders enable you to focus with greater clarity on transforming your life one baby step at a time. By experiencing those small victories and successes in your life on a daily basis, you open yourself up to creating permanent, positive change in all key aspects of your life. Keep in mind that all it takes is one small step at a time. |
| posted by ezimind @ 12:09 pm |
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Goal Setting for the Journey of Life
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Monday, 19 February 2007 |
Suppose you wanted to take a trip somewhere. What is the first thing that you do? You would get a map showing your destination, of course. Now you can see clearly how to get to where you want to go.
Next comes the planning phase. You wouldn't just get in your vehicle and drive or hop on a bus or a train or plane and hope for the best. No. You would plan a route. Fundamental to that would be the fact that you need to recognize your starting point. You cannot choose a direction before you know exactly where you are. So, to arrive at a destination point we need to know the point of origin. Only then can we fill in the gaps between.
Say, for instance, that you want to get to town F and you are starting from town A. Your first check point is town B. After that comes towns C, D and E. By monitoring your route along the way you can be assured of reaching your chosen destination.
Sometimes along the journey we take a wrong turn. When this happens we need to check our map. If we don't, we just keep going in the wrong direction. Naturally this happens most often when we either don't consult our map often enough or we simply don't have a map. Checking the map allows us to "get back on track."
It is a fairly well known fact that all airplanes are "off-target" most of the time. However, minor adjustments along the way ensure that the plane travels along the general flight path until it arrives at its location. Failure to make a one or two degree adjustment could cause the plane to be hundreds of miles off course. The same happens with the steering wheel of a car. Failure to make adjustments will see you end up in a ditch on the side of the road.
But what about your life? That is the biggest journey of them all. Why do so many people just blunder their way along without any plan? So many people have no goals, no plan, no checkpoints - nothing. Yet they expect to arrive at some fanciful destination called success.
Write yourself a plan. Mark in the checkpoints - A, B, C, D, E, F and so on. Monitor your progress. Measure it against time. If you do this you will be so far in front of the masses who not only have no idea where they are going but have no idea where they are. Remember, be realistic about your starting point and your destination point. Filling in the checkpoints just becomes a matter of course then.
Take the "Journey of Life" and don't forget the roadmap. It's so much easier when you know where you are going. |
| posted by ezimind @ 12:10 pm |
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