What if goal setting became an assumed part of life?
Much of our day-to-day existence is driven by habit: wake up, grab the morning coffee, exercise, get dressed, etc. We accomplish everyday tasks simply because we expect to. They’re an assumed part of life.
What if goal setting became an assumed part of life? We’d expect to achieve our goals, because accomplishing goals would become habit. I recently accepted a challenge to meet some aggressive goals with SimplyFun. I committed to holding 20 parties, sponsoring five people into the company, and selling at least $6000 of product in ten weeks. I’d never done anything even remotely close to those numbers. I decided early on that failure was not an option I was willing to entertain, which meant I needed to figure out how to accomplish those three goals, and do it fast!
Ten weeks, three major goals. So much to do in so little time! I needed a plan, so I talked with my manager. She encouraged me to break each goal down into weekly and then daily mini-goals. I recruited mentors to encourage me and hold me accountable to the tasks before me. I worked really hard, even when my goals seemed to be slipping away. I came really, really close, and then gave up. My encouragers, however, didn’t give up on me, and we (yes we, since I’d given up and they hadn’t), made it to the finish line.
Until I met that challenge, my attitude was that goal setting was fine for others, if stuff like that motivated them. I’d set my goals, and say “I think I can.” My goals were flexible—if I don’t make it, that’s okay; I tried and should be proud of my efforts; I’ll lower my expectations and goals to fit my fears; I can change the goal when it gets too tough, right? Wrong! Goals aren’t fluid. They are measurable, tangible, and motivating. Goals are personal, keep us focused on the prize, and are finite. Sometimes we fall short, but more often than not, we succeed, simply because we committed to success!
Achieving that challenge changed my life. I no longer accept less than my best. I realized I can do anything I put my mind to. Goals now rule my life—my job, my JOC events, even my wellness.
I recently saw myself in some pictures and was less than thrilled with my chubby appearance. I’d been trying to shed those baby pounds for years, but to no avail. I decided I had to lose weight, set a goal to lose 20 pounds, created a support network, and did it. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t always exciting, and my modified eating must become habit for me to keep the weight off, but I did it. I established a measurable (20 pounds is easy to measure on a scale!), attainable (20 pounds, not 100), tangible (yes, I need to buy new clothes), motivating and finite (my incentive trip to Hawaii is just around the corner) goal and chose to accomplish it. I recruited a partner who followed the same program (support network), and I did it!
Stop reading and write down five long-term goals (to be accomplished within the next five years) and five short-term goals (to be accomplished within the next 90 days). Post them in a very visible place—your office, your bathroom mirror, your dashboard. Keep them in your face! Find one or two people to embrace your goals with you, and let them! They’ll be your cheerleaders, your encouragers, your listeners, your partners.
Goal-setting works, even for skeptics like me. What does this have to do with habits? As you set and achieve goals on a regular basis, goal setting will become habitual. You’ll accomplish amazing things in all areas of your life. I know you can do it!