How Others Will Succeed in 2009
Key secret to goal success

I recently received a request from Stephanie Hartman, a major book promoter and publisher. The request was on "what makes goals work".

Now I've taught various goal setting segments for years in my training with mixed results. So I ask those that moved forward in their lives what made the goals work for them?

There is one key element these goal successes had that all the rest did not! I find this element in my own success as well.

Let's start with the standard stuff of goals.  You have to set goals, you need to write them down, you have to look at them, they need to be your goals, they need to be specific, they need a time table, they need a deadline and even more standard comments we have all most likely heard.

You and I have tried all of this with some success and some not so great success. So what is missing here?

In my discussions with the most successful goal achievers they indicated all the elements listed above were part of their goal setting and achieving! The difference was where their focus was coming from!

Focus is the key to goal achievement!

Each of the successful goal achievers could do the following…

·         Describe a future picture of what their life or business would look like in the future.

·         The future picture was clear and was real to them as though it was happening today.

·         They could taste, smell, feel and hear this future today.

·         They could describe a specific type of life style in detail.

·         Their future picture was based on specific values and motives that were important to them.

·         Others such as family, partners and clients were part of the future picture.

·         They believed the future picture was possible!

Now weather you are an individual or a corporation, the same applies! If you and your team have a clear shared vision (future picture) of what you are trying to become, can describe this clearly to others and discuss it all the time, IT WILL HAPPEN!

Please notice I said individual or a corporation! That's right, if you are leading a company or organization, can your team members describe the future picture they are working towards? Can you?

Without this clarity and focus, goals may simply become an exercise in futility. Yes we do all the steps and take all the actions, but because there is no ultimate objective (future picture) the goals and actions have limited effect or power.

The sales team gets its goals for the year. Oh great, they want another 10% out of me again, more work with less pay! Why do we get this response? Because the view is short sighted, there is not future picture to focus on, it is not seen as a journey with an end; just more work!

Ask anyone to make even the smallest change in their life and you'll get the response; "Why should I" in some form or another. This indicates the need for a focus, a reason, a future outcome in order to change even a little!

Without a focus (future picture) all of the barriers to goal setting much less achieving come into play. Such barriers as:

·         Fear of failure

·         Fear of Success

·         Fear of change

·         Conformity

·         Fear of pain of change

One can do an article on each of these and I have. (Past Articles)

The key is to understand the power focus (future picture) has on overcoming these barriers, often times with very little effort! Most of the successful goal achievers indicate many of these barriers just did not exist once the focus (future picture) was established in their mind, the focus overwhelmed the barriers!

So how do you create this focus (future picture)? Simply by starting to write down what you want out of life! No big plan or 12 step project, simply write down what and who you would like to be, what life style you would like to have, what values and motives you want as your guides, who do you want along on the ride, what are the sounds, feel, smells and tastes in this picture, can you believe the picture!

If you find yourself doubting the picture you have created, then focus on a smaller part of the picture that can lead to the larger one. You have to be able to believe the picture, even if it is a stretch.

This is a process and may take more than one sitting and probably more than 5 minutes. Revisit what you have written and refine and add to it until it starts to become a clear driving force in your mind and heart.

Once this happens the goal setting and achieving will be a natural outcome, not a laborious task and threat! You'll find yourself setting new goals and doing so with more energy and without all the fear you may have experienced in the past! All of those key points to setting goals will take place and have more power because of the focus.

Ok, that's the secret to goal setting and achievement. What are you going to do about it?

It's your life, your career and your future picture! Where is that pen and paper?

To your success in 2009!

Harlan Goerger, President, H. Goerger & Associates.com

© Harlan Goerger 1-2009
May be reprinted in entirety only