Did you know…
Success psychologists say that 95% – 97% of the people in the world do NOT have written goals and fail, while 3-5% have written goals and succeed.
–Taken from “A Study in Goal Setting”, By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
A Tip on Achieving the Goals You Set
I have had the privilege of speaking with many groups during January over the last few years. During those sessions, I always ask if anyone has made a New Year’s Resolution. I have to say that I have been quite surprised to find that very few do. In fact, one gentleman even said, “I gave up.” Yet, I don’t recall ever meeting one person who didn’t want to change, improve, or at least tweak some aspect of their life. Fine, don’t make a New Year’s resolution – I can understand that. But spend time making goals for yourself professionally AND personally. You can be assured that I spend time doing this every year – I can’t afford not to. However, keep in mind that goal-setting (and achieving) is a continual process – not a onetime event.
In addition to the 2 quotes that conclude this newsletter, I’d like to share this thought:
Goal setting should not be casual or lightly taken.
Goal setting is an important and serious matter. This is not a game – this is your life, and you only have one life to live.
-Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS, “A Study in Goal Setting”
Productivity Tip:
You’ve undoubtedly heard about many goal-setting techniques; and, if you’ve found one you like, use it! They are all quite similar and include the same tips. If you are stuck though and don’t know where to start, here is how I go about my goal setting.
1. Break down your life by roles.
E.g. Wife, Mother, Business Owner, Committee Member, etc.
2. Identify specific, measurable, realistic goals you want to achieve in each role. Write them down!!
E.g. As a Mom, I want to make sure I spend time having fun with my kids each week by scheduling a movie night, game night, etc.
As a business owner, I want to make sure I spend time on my business – not just in my business. I set a goal for an hour each week on specific growth related tasks such as marketing and program development. (An hour doesn’t sound like a lot but it’s more than what gets done if I don’t schedule it!)
3. Look at your goals REGULARLY.
E.g. Last year, I looked at them monthly but didn’t find that to be effective. This year I’m looking at them weekly – and marking my progress on my sheet each week. This has proved to be a great visual way to keep me on track!
4. Set appointments with yourself dedicated to working on those goals.
E.g. For the above mentioned business-growth tasks, I scheduled a recurring appointment with myself each week. It helps me make sure I don’t over-commit my time and do save enough time to work on those important goals.
Note: If you’re new to goal setting, start with just 1 goal in each of your roles. Don’t make a Top 100 list and expect to achieve it! Start small – but start with the significant items that you’d like to change / improve.
A Better Way To Users Tip:
For number 3 above, I, of course, use my system. I move my list of goals through each Monday. This last week, on 1/25, I reviewed my goals, marked what I did with an X and what I didn’t do with a big red zero! Then, I moved it to the next Monday (2/1) so that I can review it again and check my progress. I can promise you that I have already seen improvements in key areas I wanted to improve in just the few weeks I’ve been doing this. I’m more mindful of those areas I want to change and am reminded of where I need to focus by any ugly red zeros!
A Thought to Ponder
This is such an important topic, I have 2 closing quotes this time!
“I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps it’s because escape is easier than change.”
~Jim Rohn, motivational speaker
“The Strangest Secret is that we become what we think about most of the time.”
~written by Earl Nightingale, 1956