“Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the moment of time over which you have control: now.” – Denis Waitley

 

Do you go into a panic frenzy of goal fretting when asked to set goals.? Do you catch yourself starting to list all the reasons you should not set goals maybe you have hear of some of these excuses:

• Why should I set goals? I will not reach them.
• I set goals last year. Nothing happened. (Did you take any action? No. Well then…)
• I just get frustrated, anxious, and sweaty just thinking about them.
• No one can tell me if I am on the right track or not.
• My goals are dreams – lists of the best case scenario should they come to be.
• I do not feel I need to sacrifice anything to reach my goals.
• I have too many goals to list.

Do you see the trend? Have you caught anyone saying these things? How successful are you right now or the people who say these statements?

Are they where you want to be?

Reasons while you may fail at reaching your goals:

• Lack belief in yourself, otherwise known as, self-doubt
• You do not have an actionable plan or strategy to make it happen.
• No deadline.
• Do not want to step over your defined comfort zone.
• Goal set is not realistic or not achievable.
• Too many goals set and you feel overwhelm.
• You do ask for help or share your goals. How can anyone help you if you do not let them know how to help or what your goals even are?
• No way to measure whether or not you have met your goals.
• You do not have an emotional connection or investment into your goals. Either they are not that important or you are living out someone else’s dream. Be careful mediocrity and apathy could set in.

Remember new beginnings can start anytime you decide to make a fresh start – not just at the end of the year with New Year’s Resolutions. Most of these resolutions are doomed to fail by January 15th for many of the above reasons.

Do not be a statistic.

I want you to succeed.

 

Here are actionable steps you can start taking to stop goal fretting and start goal setting:

• Set goals that challenge and motivate you. Step out of the comfort zone even if it is a little bit. Try something new.
• Ensure your goal is important to you and you have an emotional vested interest. (WHY is it important? WHY NOW?)
• Write down 2-3 goals you would like to achieve in the next 3 months. Set 1-2 big goals you would like to achieve during the next year.
• Ensure your goals are realistic and achievable both in skills, knowledge, and resources available to you.
• Share your goals with someone you trust. Let them hold you accountable if they see you getting off track.
• Determine a way that you can measure your outcome or results so that you know you have achieved your goal.
• Breakdown your goals into smaller action steps. The more detailed and clear you are about where you want to go, the more likely you will achieve it.
• Learn from the past, prepare for the future, but celebrate today!

I would love to hear about some of the goals you have set for yourself. What are your goals? Do you have a dream?

Feel free to join me on December 18th, 2013 at 11 am MST for the Goal Setting & Motivation Teleseminar . Take a Quantum Leap into 2014!