UNTANGLING THE “NOTS”
THAT KEEP US FROM OUR GOALS
It’s that time of the year – again. Seems every December we remember to dig out our “resolutions” made nearly 12
months ago and evaluate our success.
Ooops. Got some shortfalls there?
Me, too. But that’s doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the year is the end of the
world.
- If you’ve been able to check off a
significant portion of your 2013 list, kudos.
- If, however, it appears you can create your 2014 goals/resolutions list simply by changing the date atop 2013’s, we need to talk further.
All too often we erect
mental barriers that weaken our goals and turn them into mere wishes. Or we
make wishes, but never begin the deliberate process that transforms these ethereal
dreams into reality.
The biggest
mental barriers take the form of “nots” – negative attitudes that keep us from
even trying.
Here are some of
the toughest “nots” and some effective ways to slice right through them,
starting with the biggest:
Not Enough
Time
Suppose your
company’s expanding its business in Germany and having a full blown command of German
would be a great boon for you. When you
consider a goal like this, is your first thought, “I have no time to master another language”? Or maybe you phrase it as a frantic, “I already have too much to do!”
Not having enough
time is a universal complaint, especially if you’re juggling the trifecta of job,
community and family responsibilities.
So what’s the goal-achieving
solution to this “not”?
TGIM ACTION IDEA: Make
time.
This isn’t meant to be flippant. Sure, achieving a worthwhile goal takes
time. But so does BS-ing … grousing about the difficult client, unreasonable
boss or cantankerous coworker … churning through social media … playing Candy
Crunch. At home nothing takes as much
time as watching TV.
Even if none of
these apply to you, you can probably think of your own private time wasters. Any
one of them is stealing time you need to work on significant goals instead, nicht
wahr?
You’re not wasting a second, you say? Then maybe you do have too much to do. In that case –
Delegate. Surely not
every one of your time-consuming tasks is as important as certain big-deal
goals you’d like to achieve. Delegate the less important jobs. Do it at the office.
Do it at home. Do it in your community, verstehen Sie?
Another way to find
time for your big, significant goal is to make it the first priority of every day
– not let it bump along until you can squeeze it in. Treat goals like
afterthoughts and they’ll remain inconsequential.
Not The
Right Goal
Sometimes we
direct our efforts in the wrong direction.
- If you want to be the head of your own
operation next year, starting from your current position as one of many in
the sales force, your goal is probably too big.
- If you’re spending hours and hours fretting over and re-designing your new business card, your “goal” is probably too small.
And if you’re not
sure whether your goals are too big or too small –
Check this: Do you change goals frequently before completing
them? Then they may not be the right goals at all.
TGIM ACTION IDEA: The way
to untangle this “not” is with a deliberate thought.
TGIM IDEA IN ACTION #1:
Reflect on past goals to discover why you abandon them. What happened that made
you switch goals?
TGIM IDEA IN ACTION #2: Now
choose your next goal carefully. Is it significant? Doable? Can you accomplish
it within a set period of time? Does it make sense in terms of your current
responsibilities? Then press on.
Not Enough
Courage
What often prevents
many of us from even attempting to meet our goals is plain old fear.
Of course we
seldom come out and say aloud, “I’m too
afraid to try this.”
Instead we say, “I’m too old,” “I’m too young,” “I don’t
have enough education,” “I’m comfortable with how things are now.”
No doubt it’s true: There ARE many things to be afraid of. “What if I fail?” “What if I succeed?” “Won’t
things be different after I try?” Fair considerations all.
TGIM ACTION IDEA: Acknowledging
fear is often the best first step in overcoming it. It also helps to realize
that most other people have the same fears too – even those who go on to
succeed.
So clearly, just
having the fear doesn’t mean failure –
But not doing anything does.
So, in addition
to courageously acknowledging your fear factor, another way to work through the
“notty” situation is to construct a worst-case scenario –
TGIM ACTION IDEA: Ask and
objectively answer the question: “What’s
the worst that thing that could happen if I try?”
Case in point: Suppose you’re convinced the company
would benefit by having a Chief Technology Officer (a post you believe you’re
qualified to fill). Imagine then you pitch the idea to the top brass and your
idea’s turned down flat or, after due consideration, someone new is brought in
to fill the position.
Now what? You still have your job. Plus your reasonable,
even profitable, suggestion shows you’re company-minded and ambitious. Pretty
good accomplishments for “failure.”
Not Enough
Willpower
“I know all about goals,” you may say. “There
was a time I started to create a whole new system for the company. And the time
I started to teach myself C++. And the
time I started the MBA course so I can better handle executive level
responsibilities. I just never finish anything.”
That certainly resonates. Good
intentions often crumble when you’re faced with the actual work. It doesn’t
mean you’re lazy or not capable. You simply need a few concrete tools to help
see a job through from start to finish.
These tools are
useful for everyone—no matter what your specific goal-completion problem.
1. Set realistic deadlines. Set a deadline for the goal itself. Also
set deadlines to mark each step or series of steps. Meeting these interim
deadlines provides you with tangible proof of your progress. They’re also good
points to reward yourself for ongoing work.
2. Tell your mentor about your goal. If you don’t have a mentor, tell a friend or
trusted co-worker. You’ll be less likely to “let yourself off the hook” if someone
is watching what you do. Just be certain you don’t tell someone who will blab
to everyone or in some way disparage your efforts.
3. Use a written plan. It’s been said ad nauseam that the key difference between a wish and a goal is that
a goal is written down. A goal somehow becomes more serious when it’s in
writing and reflects a deeper commitment on your part. A written plan will also
help you break the goal down into its separate, more easily achievable steps.
4. Visualize success. Imagination
can help you succeed. Studies of
athletes show that visualizing playing and winning a game can increase
performance as much as actual practice. Imagine, in detail, the job complete,
the project in full running order. Imagine enjoying the results – as well as
all the recognition and respect you’ll get.
Which “not” has you tangled up?
Use the above strategies to start working on your 2014 goals today.
Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing
8 Depot Square
Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
201-569-5373
