Many people understate the importance of goals, or worse, they think everything is a goal to chase after.
In our world of constant distractions and an ever-growing list of priorities and to-dos, it can be difficult to move one’s business forward.
We spend our days chasing the latest technology, blueprint and tool or being constantly distracted by social media and things pushed at us.
We need to be more intentional with our time and focused on what we truly want to accomplish in this short sweet life that we are given!
Goals give focus, direction and intentional actions to take.
It’s time to get serious about them.
Setting and accomplishing goals have a few phases but you have to start somewhere!
Here are the initial and most important first 5 steps to accomplishing any goal:
1. What Is Your One Goal?
How many of us have a laundry list of goals that we want to accomplish – either this month, year or in 5 years? Are you trying to tackle them all at once?
The first step in accomplishing any goal is to know what that one goal is. It sounds pretty silly to have to start here but it’s easy to get overwhelmed with a list of goals rather than just one or two that you go after at a time. As women we often pride ourselves on being master multi-taskers but all this multitasking is not getting us closer to accomplishing some of our biggest goals in business.
Action: First write out ALL your goals. Yes, do a massive brain dump and then narrow in on that one big goal that once accomplished will move your business the most forward (in comparison to the other goals). That is your ONE goal.
2. Write It Down
I know it’s easy to just think of a goal and plod ahead, but you must write your goals down. In fact, a study by Dominican University revealed that those who had written down their goals dramatically increased their success rate from 43% to 61% compared to those who did not. That’s a big jump by simply taking out a piece of paper and writing one or two sentences down.
Action: Write it down. No really… Write. It. Down! But don’t tuck it into a drawer to be hidden away with your other big dreams and desires. Pin it to your wall. Stick it to your computer. Keep it front and center.
3. Find A Friend
Why are Weight Watchers and CrossFit so successful? It’s because you are kept accountable to a group for meeting your goals. They are your witnesses – your most honest mirror. You have to report your progress or lack thereof and that makes your goals very real! Nothing keeps you on track as having to account for your actions to another living being.
Action: Find a supportive biz friend who you can meet with regularity to keep one another on track towards one another big goal. Or find/form a mastermind group where you can further brainstorm and keep accountable.
4. Visualize
Don’t dismiss this one because it sounds too woo woo. If you listen or read the stories of highly successful people (Jim Carrey and Oprah to name just a few) you will hear the same themes particularly around how they regularly visualized reaching their biggest goals.
You can create a Vision Board to have something physically to look at or you can sit quietly for 5 minutes each morning and evening imagining yourself (adding a potent dose of what it will feel like) reaching your goals.
Action: Spend the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes of each day visualizing how it look and feel once you’ve accomplished your goal. Imagine it as if you’ve already accomplished it and you’re filled with gratitude for it having already arrived.
5. Commit
This may seem simple but how many people say “I want to lose 10 pounds” but really never commit to making any steps towards it. In order to commit you have to be clear on what the goal is and why you want to accomplish this goal.
When you have clarity and know your motivation you can fully sink in and commit to making it happen. Commitment is where many people fall. It is easy to throw in the towel when progress is slow but be the minority and stick to your word.
Action: Write out a contract to yourself and sign it. Share the commitment with your partner or best friend.
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. –Thomas Edison
Devising goals are simple however focusing and executing on them is not always easy.
These first five steps will get you started in the right direction so you can begin seeing real results in your business and ultimately your life!
Take Action:
1:
Write out ALL your goals first. Do a massive brain dump and then narrow in on that one big goal that, once accomplished, will move your business the most forward. That is your ONE goal.
2:
Write it down. Pin it to your wall. Stick it to your computer. Keep it front and center.
3:
Find a supportive biz friend who you can meet with regularity to keep one another on track towards one another big goal. Or find/form a mastermind group where you can further brainstorm and keep accountable.
4:
Spend the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes of each day visualizing how it look and feel once you’ve accomplished your goal. Imagine it as if you’ve already accomplished it and you’re filled with gratitude for it having already arrived.
5:
Write out a contract to yourself and sign it. Share the commitment with your partner or best friend.
The post 5 Most Important {Initial} Steps to Accomplishing Any Goal appeared first on LearnSavvy.