It is that time of the year when many of us look at the year ahead and think okay I know I want to achieve something by December – how do I go about it. I know I”ll set a goal! Sounds easy doesn’t it. If it was all that easy how come by the end of year we look around and think – the year has just flown by and I didn’t do half of what I set out to do.
What can we do to Plan with Purpose – to ensure that what we set out to do we can achieve – to achieve the goals we set at the beginning of the year?
If you follow some of these basic tips then you will be sure to find that sense of accomplishment when you look back on 2008.
Be positive not negative: phrase your goal as a positive step, a positive achievement. Instead of saying I don’t want to be scared of speaking in public any more. Set the goal as I will attend a course on public speaking in the next 3 months. I will do 3 presentations at work in the next 6 months. I will speak up at the next business meeting. I will make a contribution at every staff meeting. You are programming a pattern of success and achievement in your subconscious mind instead of a pattern of failure when you the negative.
Ensure that your goal is achievable and attainable. Quite often when we set our goals we make them broad, large and very high. I will be a great public speaker by the end of year. A massive goal that could leave you floundering. There is quirky riddle that goes: How do you eat an elephant? Answ: One bite at a time. It is the same with those large goals.. How I will be a great public speaker?? Answ: break it down into small achievable goals that you can complete and before you know it you have achieved that larger goal you had set your heart on.
Don’t sell yourself short. It is very easy to set your goal low – I will do one presentation at work this year. Yes you may achieve this or more probably you won’t achieve it and find yourself at the end of the year wondering what happened. If you set the bar one level higher – I will do 4 presentations this year – if you don’t achieve 4 you will have achieved 1, 2 or 3. You will have a sense of having achieved. As the saying goes – shoot for the moon because if you don’t reach the moon you will fall amongst the stars.
Most importantly – write the goal down. Putting your goal down on paper makes it real. You can read it over and over again. Put it up where you can see it – it becomes a visual reminder. Don’t be afraid to revisit and rewrite your goals… they are living, breathing creations. As you grow so will your goals grow and change. Circumstances may change that may require fine tuning your original goals.
Using some of these tips will ensure that in December 2008 – you can look back and say yes I have achieved this year.
Make one of your first steps a visit to Trischel http://www.trischel.com.au/ and check out some of the tools we can give you to achieve your goals.
Happy Planning with Purpose.
Trish at Trischel