On Target or Just Passing Through?

Every year, we work very hard in December and January to establish our goals for the year. Many times, we hire consultants to help us create elaborate plans to make the family members and our managers say “Yes, we love it.” Then struggles begin and the day to day part of life or work takes over and our great strategic implementation plan is out the window.

Yearly goals, New Years Resolutions, Tasks, and Exercise programs are the most likely items to be pushed to the wayside when challenges occur. Our recourse is to fight back and push through until we finish the tasks we need to accomplish.

Keeping abreast of where you stand and then maintaining focus on your goals is paramount to making any person or business effective. How do you plan your actions to make sure they are on target?

So with this, we’ll assume that you goals are written down and have been tested against the SMART questions that make them real goals; not just dreams. If your goals are not written out and tested, start with that process as the key action step for you.

Here are some action steps you can take each and every day that will help you get “On Target”:

1. Make sure you understand very clearly the goal you’ve set for yourself and what that specific goal means to you. If you are not 100% clear on the result of the accomplishment of the goal, then step back and relook at the goal. You must be absolutely clear on the reason for accomplishing the goal.
2. Make an assessment of where you are in accomplishing your goals. Are you 20% done, or more like 50%? Knowing where you are in the process is another key to affecting your outcome.
3. Are there sacrifices that you must make in order to accomplish what you want? So many times we think we understand the sacrifices and investments we need to make but we clearly miss the boat. Look again at the sacrifices and investments you need to accomplish your goals.
4. Do you have a Success Partner committed to the same outcome as you are? This is one of the most important items you can do in your quest for goal accomplishment. Pick this person carefully. I suggest that you find someone going through the same things you are and with similar goals and outcomes. They really understand the struggles.
5. Plan each and every day to make sure you minimize distractions. The day to day stuff will never go away, but if you never focus on the important items in your life, how will you become satisfied and eliminate frustration?
6. Commit, commit, and then commit. They are your goals so make it personal!

Now we have talked, written, evaluated, and discussed our goals. The next and final step is to take deliberate actions: massive deliberate actions and the accomplishments will multiply accordingly. Massive actions include 10 extra minutes of walking, making 5 extra phone calls to reconnect with people, or even talking to you mentor about being better.

As Nike says, “Just Do It”.