"Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I will give you a man who will make history. Give a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk!" - J.C. Penney
We all have goals, but the question is do we keep them, achieve them, and maybe more importantly even start pursuing them?
In 1979, interviewers asked new graduates from the Harvard's MBA Program, this question, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Here's what they found:
- 84% had no specific goals at all
- 13% had goals but they were not committed to paper
- 3% had clear, written goals and plans to accomplish them
In 1989, the interviewers again interviewed the graduates of that class. You can guess the results:
- The 13% of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all.
- Even more staggering-the three percent who had clear, written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.
Does this encourage you to write down your goals? Me, too!
BUT before you write down just any old goal, take time to think through these 5 steps to give you the greatest success with your goals.
Step 1. Identify your Vision & Craft SMART goals
Uncertainty is sabotage - be CLEAR about what you are going after.
Specific. What, where, and how will you accomplish this? Be distinct and define as much of the goal as possible. Clear and specific is what you are after, uncertainty is the ultimate sabotage of any goal.
Measurable. Describe how you will know if the goal is complete. Use numbers with dates attached to them to give yourself noticeable measures of achievement.
Accountable. Who will help you to stay on track with your goals? Make sure you are pulling in your cheerleader, coach, and counselor to be your support system.
Realistic. Are these goals realistic in relation to your reality?
Time Frame. How long do you have to complete these goals? I encouraged you to start with 6-month goal. Also short-term goals will allow you to track your progress along the way. This is a good opportunity to make adjustments and plan for increased success.
Step 2. Set Trigger goals - a behavior action step to get you to the goal.
Examples: Set out workout clothes the night before or take out a specific amount of money for your grocery outing.
Step 3. Set Improvement Goals - numbers with a date attached to them.
If you make 6 months goals, set a mini-goal for 3 months, so when you check in half way through you can tangibly see how you are progressing.
Step 4. Gather a tribe - people who will cheer you on!
You can't do it alone! There WILL BE days when you need your fan base, so be sure they are already in place!
Step 5. Script your setbacks - setting yourself up for the temptations.
You probably know the days, times, moments, when you are likely to cave and give up on your goals. Take yourself to that moment and decide ahead of time, how you will stick to your goal!
The idea isn't to spend lots of time planning and making perfect goals, (although I know this list can seem overwhelming), but know that an action point today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.
And don't forget the wisdom from Harvard, WRITE YOUR GOALS down!
Happy Goal Writing, My Friends!
Brian Tracy says, "Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines."
In the meantime if you are having trouble crafting your goals, I want to help YOU...
Uncover your PURPOSE. Unlock your DREAMS. Discover your SIGNATURE SOUND. Go to the NEXT LEVEL. AND RELEASE your VOICE!
I would love to work with you to discover who you are and what you were made to do!
Go to http://www.mikaelakate.com to sign-up for a FREE coaching call and we can get started! Also don't forget to get my FREE eBook to begin Unlocking Your Dreams and living your destiny!
~ Mikaela Kate Schaefer
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