One of the main challenges that I've face in my life is
ensuring that once I've set myself on a course of action... That I'm able to
follow through and reach the goals that I've set. As I've gotten older (and perhaps wiser) I've
realized that simply embarking on a course of action without thinking through
the steps you plan to take as well as what success really looks like... Is a
recipe for defeat.
I've spent a a great deal of time working to put together
a system that allows me to reach my goals consistently and I've outlined 4 of
those steps below:
1. Have a written
plan - This is the 'duh' moment for many of you, but I can't tell you how many
people I talk to who tell me that they cannot reach their goals... Only to find
out they haven't written anything down.
Imagine trying to drive from Miami to Denver without a map...got that in
your head... Yea, well trying to reach your goals without a written plan is
100x worse than that.
2. Revisit them
often - I've taken to spending Monday morning each week assessing my goals (my
ability to do this is enhanced by the fact that I'm often on a plane going
somewhere on Mondays) and determining what went well the previous week, what
didn't work, and what I can do in the coming week to move my efforts forward. I use a variation built on the concept of the
12 Week Year (more on that HERE), which has forced me to be significantly more
focused as my "year" for planning purposes only lasts for 12
weeks. This "compression" has
also forced me to take a long hard look at how I prioritize my efforts and that
pressure has enhanced my ability to complete various efforts. The only ways can do this consistently
however is to have a clear "macro" plan for each week... Which I
then use each Monday to set myself up for success
3. Start with why
- I'm a huge fan of the concept of "Start With Why" pioneered by
Simon Sinek (more on Simon and this concept can be found HERE and HERE) and it
cannot be overstated that if you start your planning process and goal setting
with this concept, your ability to reach the goals you set forth will be
dramatically enhanced. To be clear, this
is a truly "personal why".
Each goal you set needs to be focused in a way that incents you to take
the necessary steps to reach it...and in many cases will take you out of your
comfort zone.
4. Be public -
Finally, we are all driven in many ways by what others think of us, and one of
the best ways to reach big, life changing goals...is to be public about
them. Sharing your goals with family and
friends (or even those outside our immediate circle) forces us to be
accountable in a way we could avoid without this step. For years now, my wife and I have shared our
"couple goals on our frig at home (more on why multiple levels of goals
should be in your consideration set in a future edition) and they've had the impact of not only
holding us accountable for what we are attempting to do each year.. But have
had the long term impact of showing those around us that when we commit to a
course of action... We are willing to follow through and be publicly
accountable.
I hope you find some practical advice here today on why
life planning works, and would love to
hear your thoughts and feedback. Have a
method for goal setting that works particularly well for you? Have a system that you find useful to reach
your goals? Think that goal setting is
overrated? I'd love to hear your
thoughts and feedback either directly - donegalhold@yahoo. com or in the
comments below.
Here's to you.. And another day in a Life Well Led.
Thanks for reading.... And make it a great day!
