One-third of the year is over.Valentine's and Easter,
are in the past. The weather is warmer and the days are
longer. So, how are you doing on your 2014 goals?
I know, it's a question coaches and mentors ask at the end
of every month. It gets old. But mostly, of course, it gets
old if you know you aren't where you should be. And if
other people--your MasterMind group, your coach, your boss-
-or your spouse--know you are not on-budget and on-
schedule, well, then the question gets really old!
But it's a serious, life-changing question. If you are on-
track and on-budget, take tremendous pride in that! Pat
yourself on the back and brag a little! You deserve it, and
others will appreciate using you as a role model. Give them
that chance! They need you as an inspiration!
And if, deep inside, you know you are not where you thought
you'd be, it's time to ask some good, smart, hard
questions.
Fundamentally, there are only a few reasons not to be on-
schedule regarding your most important goals. Is the
problem bad planning or poor scheduling? Were the costs or
difficulties greater than you anticipated? Has someone been
opposing or frustrating you? Or did you get sick, have an
emergency, or change your mind?
Or, is the problem, basically, you? A lack of focus or
self-discipline, a lack of patience, or a lack perseverance
or persistence, or even good old-fashioned laziness can
explain your lack of progress. While few of us take pride
in such things, the good news is that all of these things
are fixable!
If you are behind schedule, one of the most important
questions you can ask is whether your 2014 goals were
really and truly GOALS, or something less. If they were
hopes or dreams, or fantasies or vague possibilities, be
honest about that! There's no shame in having big dreams
and keeping them out there, in the future, as dreams to
inspire you. Some people are confused and honestly think
they have goals, when what they really have are hopes or
wishes or visions of what might be, someday.
Nothing wrong with that! In fact, I think there's something
wonderful about having big dreams! But dreams are not
goals.
To be achieved, all goals require a three-part foundation:
1. Specificity. Goals must be measurable and
attainable. They must be feasible and realistic. They need
a time-frame or deadline, and you have to know exactly what
you're after! To be "fit" is an aspiration; to run next
year's Boston Marathon in under four hours is a measurable
goal.
2. Planning. Goals require budgets and schedules, and
one of my favorite words, sequencing. "First, I'll do this,
then I'll do that." Who will help you? Who has the skills
you'll need, and will they teach you? Personally, I think
calendars are one of life's most under-utilized tools.
3. Emotion. Goals require passion and excitement. Jim
Rohn said, "Reasons come first, ways come second." When you
have enough reasons, you'll find a way! When a child wants
a cookie, even Fort Knox is hardly safe against their
desires! Whether your goal is a new house or the universal
desire to lose weight, determination and drive make all the
difference.
There's an ancient story that I love. It seems a young
woman once climbed a mountain to visit a wise old seer.
Finding the guru, the woman asked for the gift of great
wisdom. Without saying a word, the guru rose and led her to
a near-by lake. Wading in about waist deep, the guru
suddenly grabbed the woman and held her head under water.
As you can imagine, she thrashed wildly, desperate for air.
After a short eternity, the guru let her up and quietly
said, "When you seek wisdom as clearly and eagerly as you
sought that next breath of air, you will find it."
Whatever your goals, seek them as specifically and as
passionately as you would seek one more breath of air. Be
clear about what you want--measure it in dollars or numbers
or whatever is appropriate. Then plan wisely. Schedule your
time, eliminate distractions, cancel whatever might get in
your way. Clear a path to success! Then, give it all you've
got!
And one final thought: Get and use a great coach! Wise
parents teach their children about life, from riding a bike
to budgeting. Wise employers train their employees. We all
do better when someone shows us the way. If your goals are
important to you (and they are important, right?), get a
coach to teach you, to hold you accountable, to encourage
and support you. Success in any great endeavor requires
great coaching.
are in the past. The weather is warmer and the days are
longer. So, how are you doing on your 2014 goals?
I know, it's a question coaches and mentors ask at the end
of every month. It gets old. But mostly, of course, it gets
old if you know you aren't where you should be. And if
other people--your MasterMind group, your coach, your boss-
-or your spouse--know you are not on-budget and on-
schedule, well, then the question gets really old!
But it's a serious, life-changing question. If you are on-
track and on-budget, take tremendous pride in that! Pat
yourself on the back and brag a little! You deserve it, and
others will appreciate using you as a role model. Give them
that chance! They need you as an inspiration!
And if, deep inside, you know you are not where you thought
you'd be, it's time to ask some good, smart, hard
questions.
Fundamentally, there are only a few reasons not to be on-
schedule regarding your most important goals. Is the
problem bad planning or poor scheduling? Were the costs or
difficulties greater than you anticipated? Has someone been
opposing or frustrating you? Or did you get sick, have an
emergency, or change your mind?
Or, is the problem, basically, you? A lack of focus or
self-discipline, a lack of patience, or a lack perseverance
or persistence, or even good old-fashioned laziness can
explain your lack of progress. While few of us take pride
in such things, the good news is that all of these things
are fixable!
If you are behind schedule, one of the most important
questions you can ask is whether your 2014 goals were
really and truly GOALS, or something less. If they were
hopes or dreams, or fantasies or vague possibilities, be
honest about that! There's no shame in having big dreams
and keeping them out there, in the future, as dreams to
inspire you. Some people are confused and honestly think
they have goals, when what they really have are hopes or
wishes or visions of what might be, someday.
Nothing wrong with that! In fact, I think there's something
wonderful about having big dreams! But dreams are not
goals.
To be achieved, all goals require a three-part foundation:
1. Specificity. Goals must be measurable and
attainable. They must be feasible and realistic. They need
a time-frame or deadline, and you have to know exactly what
you're after! To be "fit" is an aspiration; to run next
year's Boston Marathon in under four hours is a measurable
goal.
2. Planning. Goals require budgets and schedules, and
one of my favorite words, sequencing. "First, I'll do this,
then I'll do that." Who will help you? Who has the skills
you'll need, and will they teach you? Personally, I think
calendars are one of life's most under-utilized tools.
3. Emotion. Goals require passion and excitement. Jim
Rohn said, "Reasons come first, ways come second." When you
have enough reasons, you'll find a way! When a child wants
a cookie, even Fort Knox is hardly safe against their
desires! Whether your goal is a new house or the universal
desire to lose weight, determination and drive make all the
difference.
There's an ancient story that I love. It seems a young
woman once climbed a mountain to visit a wise old seer.
Finding the guru, the woman asked for the gift of great
wisdom. Without saying a word, the guru rose and led her to
a near-by lake. Wading in about waist deep, the guru
suddenly grabbed the woman and held her head under water.
As you can imagine, she thrashed wildly, desperate for air.
After a short eternity, the guru let her up and quietly
said, "When you seek wisdom as clearly and eagerly as you
sought that next breath of air, you will find it."
Whatever your goals, seek them as specifically and as
passionately as you would seek one more breath of air. Be
clear about what you want--measure it in dollars or numbers
or whatever is appropriate. Then plan wisely. Schedule your
time, eliminate distractions, cancel whatever might get in
your way. Clear a path to success! Then, give it all you've
got!
And one final thought: Get and use a great coach! Wise
parents teach their children about life, from riding a bike
to budgeting. Wise employers train their employees. We all
do better when someone shows us the way. If your goals are
important to you (and they are important, right?), get a
coach to teach you, to hold you accountable, to encourage
and support you. Success in any great endeavor requires
great coaching.
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