Goal Setting Like a Champion – Everything You Need to Know – Part 2
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Zig Ziglar
In the first part of our series, we covered the importance of smart, specific goal setting. But let’s look at some of the other things that can help – and hinder – our goal setting.
Give Up Giving Up, be more resilient!
Over time, we give up, we need to be persistent, its the compound effect that matters most
We cave and call it quits too soon,
We fail to achieve our goals! And it’s not for lack of wanting or trying, but lack of not wanting or trying hard enough.
Let’s say that louder for the people in the back.
You’re not achieving your goals for lack of wanting or trying.
You’re not achieving your goals because you’re not wanting or trying hard enough.
If you want a goal as much as you want to breathe – you’ll make it happen.
Opportunities Created, not Found
When you focus on a specific goal, your plan of action helps you to consciously take the next right step.
But something else Is happening, too. Whenever you set a specific goal, you’re actually training your subconscious mind to tune in and focus hard on what you want. When your subconscious is this focused, you’ll be able to create your own opportunities.
Since so much of our daily behaviour is habit-driven, it makes sense that in order to achieve your goal, you have to really, really want it.
And if you don’t want it that much? Well, it makes sense that you’ll go back to your old ways.
For example, if you want to lose weight, you might give it all you think you’ve got… for a few weeks.
But sooner or later, you’re going to hit that brick wall. Those extra pounds won’t shift as fast as you want them to. You get frustrated and disappointed when things don’t happen right away.
You lose sight of what you want and why you wanted it. Your need, your goal, you desire? It all gets lost in the daily grind.
So how can you push through the frustration and discomfort to reach your goals when they seem so far away?
Keeping Focus
One of the reasons why we fail to achieve our goals is an overall loss of focus.
We get it. It’s hard to stay laser-focused for a prolonged period of time!
Even for people that are highly driven, losing focus is common.
There are all sorts of interruptions in life that cause a loss of focus. Clearly, problems can and do arise often – but those issues are a constant. There will always be something to derail you – that’s life!
So, what are some of the ways we can keep our focus?
Having a Defined Plan of Action
Every goal you set should have a detailed action plan. And when we say detailed, we mean detailed.
Write down your big, juicy, audacious goals – yes, the ones that scare you silly! Then break them down by:
- Year
- Quarter
- Month
- Week
- And by day (we call these your “Daily High Payoff Activities”)
You should have a list of actions you must take every day, to ensure you stay on track with achieving your goal.
Ensure Your Reason is a Good One
Most people fail because they either start without preparing properly – or they start for all the wrong reasons!
That’s a great way to set yourself up for failure before you even start.
Here’s a question for you. How did your goals, plans, and resolutions pan out so far this year?
When we talk about why you failed to reach a goal, we mean that you didn’t have strong enough reasons for wanting your goals, or that you didn’t know how to correctly set them.
You can’t just say you want to succeed because you want lots of money or lots of stuff.
It’s nice to have a shiny car or a bigger house, but those are superficial reasons. You need a reason that goes deeper than that.
Whenever you have a reason that’s as important as the air you breathe, you’ll do what it takes to achieve your goals. And let’s face it – a new conservatory probably isn’t going to cut it!
What is it you want? Why do you want it? Do you really know?
Here’s a trick to get you on track. Ask yourself the “five whys”.
Start with the question: “why do I want this?”. Now, keep asking yourself why. Come up with five different reasons – each one getting a little closer to the truth.
By your fifth “why?” you’ll be much closer to the real reason you want it.
Now you have you’re why, isn’t it easier to figure out the appropriate actions you need to take to achieve your goal?
Create New Habits
Creating a new set of habits takes time – but there’s no better way to go after a goal than by making it a habit.
Behavioural scientists say that we can create new habits by doing something over and over again, consecutively for a period of up to 66 days.
Two months – that’s it. You could make success second nature in just two months! Isn’t that worth a bit of discipline in the short term?
As we said in part 1, success doesn’t happen overnight. If you keep pushing, keep your focus sharp, learn to define and pursue your goals correctly, you will see results.
Have you ever heard it said that “You are far too smart to be the only thing standing in your way?”
Well – now you know. So, get out of your own way! Using the steps outlined in this series, you’ll be on your way to success in no time.
We hope this helps. And we’d love to hear about your goals. Let us know – what do you want to achieve in 2021?
James Fleming
The Power Within Training & Development
james@thepowerwithintraining.com
www.thepowerwithintraining.com
0330 133 2975
