This weeks
Article....
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
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