Goal Setting
Goal Setting is hard. Why? Most of us have been conditioned, for years, to go for goals that someone else has set for us. We went to college to study law because Mom wanted us to be a lawyer. You got married instead of backpacking around Europe for a year because that is what grown-ups do. We travel for business on weekends instead of being with our family because that is what our boss wants us to do. That’s why there are thousands of self-help books telling people the secrets to making a change and goal setting. And every year people start the New Year by setting goals for the next year. The un-exciting part is that a couple of months into the New Year most of those goals are forgotten. Why? Change is hard! But why is change so difficult and what can you do to make it easier?
Here are seven tips to keep you inspired and moving forward towards your goals.
1. Believe
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” – Napoleon Hill
Before you see change in your outer world, you need to start with change in your inner world. Who do you need to be and what do you need to believe about yourself to make this goal happen?
Create an affirmation around the positive change you want to see. Part of making affirmations work is in the words you use. Some people are teaching that if you just say a positive affirmation often enough it will happen in your life. Well, that is partly true. You have to be able to BELIEVE what you are saying, so write and say the affirmation in a way that you can believe what you are saying without your inner critic saying “That is BS and you know it!!”
Here are some examples:
- I am in the process of becoming a millionaire.
- I am in the process of becoming a best-selling author.
Say your affirmations in the morning and at night, I suggest in front of the mirror when you are starting out.
2. Break Big Goals into Smaller Achievable Steps
I think everyone should have a Big Goal, as my mentor Bob Proctor calls them a “C” goal, something bigger than you have done before, way bigger. This is not a SMART goal. SMART goals are something just a little bit more than you have done before, increase sales by 10%, add 2 new clients this month. There is no inspiration, no excitement in a SMART goal.
These Big Goals can seem overwhelming, maybe too big to believe, OK then we break them down into steps. If it is a 5-year goal, where would you want to be in 3 years to meet the 5-year goal? When you decide on the 3-year goal, where would you want to be in 1 year? With the 1-year (annual) goal set, what would you have to complete in 6 months? Then what needs to be done this quarter? Break the quarter down into months, the months into weeks. Now you have a weekly goal set that you can use to create a Daily Success Plan.
That’s why it’s important to break your goals down into smaller bite-sized actions. Smaller goals will give you a sense of progress and by being achievable it will keep you motivated.
Break them down into tasks with a time frame. That way you can check them off as you complete each task and feel more accomplished.
3. Schedule Time to Work on Goals
If goal setting is a priority for you in your business (Net Profit Goal, Sales Goal, Increase Market Share) it only makes sense to schedule time on your calendar dedicated to achieving them. I know you must work IN your business, but reaching goals means time is needed to work ON your business. There are also personal goals you have set for this year (Family Time, Study Time, Vacation/Holiday) Block out time to work solely on tasks that help you achieve your goal.
Guard that time carefully. Success requires dedicated time to put yourself first.
4. Get Support
Share your goals with someone, have someone to be your cheerleader, someone who can keep you focused and on track. Join an online mastermind group. Hire a coach to work with you to reach your goals. Tell your best friend or spouse what you intend to do. It is important that the people you tell are people who will support you and help to keep you accountable.
A coach will keep you accountable, keep you motivated, and help you when you feel stuck.
5. Celebrate Small Wins
If you have ever watched or participated in sports you have seen the athletes celebrating their wins. Why? They know that celebrating their wins programs their mind to look for more wins. Part of your mind likes the brain chemical hit it gets from celebrating your wins and it wants more of that feeling. You are the one putting in hard work, the effort and making progress. Find an exciting way to reward yourself when you reach certain benchmarks.
My coach Blair Singer tells me to anchor every win with an action, like clenching my fist and doing the fist pump you see athletes do. This anchors the win permanently into my body and my memory. For you, it might be something different, a special treat like a massage, your favorite song, a happy dance or meditation time. At this point, the celebration is up to you just be sure to celebrate all your wins.
6. Visualize Your Goal-Completed Rewards
Many athletes will tell you the secret to winning the game or achieving that record is to visualize them accomplishing it first. You actually see yourself with the goal accomplished. How would you feel? Who would be with you? How are you celebrating? Now, this may sound funny or silly, but there a 1000’s of scientific studies that prove to visualize you actually achieving your goal is very powerful. Scientific studies have shown that the mind operates on what it expects to happen next, if you have conditioned your mind to expect the win, expect the celebration, odds are it will work to make that happen.
When you see yourself achieving the goal in your mind it puts the power of your subconscious to work for you. You’ll spot the people, resources, and opportunities that are available to support you in getting the goal you set.
Seeing it in your mind first is believing. Once you own that vision of your success you are half way there to achieving it.
7. Gear Up
Get the tools, support, and information you need to complete your goal.
Do you need to get your business branding done or a new website built? Is there a technology you should be adding to your business? Should you hire a new team member?
Whatever your goal is there is a book you can read, a course you can take, or someone you can talk to that will enable you to move you forward. Invest in what you need to make it happen.
Whatever goals you have set for the new year, I wish you the greatest of success in creating a work and life you love!
If you need help reaching your business goals, we at eVision Media can help make them happen! Contact us today to find out how business coaching and our other business support services can help you achieve greater success.
