I’m not into New Year’s resolutions. My experience is that people make resolutions on a whim, but they rarely take the necessary step of developing the plan that would turn the resolution into reality.
It’s really a question of whether you have a dream and whether you have a plan. Most New Year’s resolutions are all about the dream – about the desired end result. I would suggest that you look past the dream to the plan that will be necessary to make that dream come true.
That said, this is the perfect time of year to set goals and create plans to achieve them. So if you are so inclined, allow me to share three tips for putting together some 2010 goals.
1) Think Short-Term
If you’ve never really invested any efforts into goal accountability, I would advise you not to try to tackle a huge project right out of the gate. Don’t think about what you’ll accomplish in 2010 – think about what you’ll accomplish in January (or at most in the first quarter). I’m not saying you shouldn’t have big, hairy, audacious goals, but that’s not where I would start. The more manageable the goal, the better the chances you’ll achieve the results.
2) Break the Goal into Small Steps
If you struggle right out of the gate, you’ll need to go back to goal definition. It’s not a goal unless it can be broken down into small, well defined, manageable steps. For example, if you say, “My goal is to be the best salesperson in my company”, that’s not defined and it is impossible to break down specifically. Read more…
A couple of weeks ago I wrote on this page about getting started on a project or goal, and about the power of taking just one step. Now let me add to that the power in establishing accountability throughout the process of reaching your goal or finishing your project.
(It is not absolutely necessary for you to have read the previous article, but it will help. Click here to read “The Power of the First Step”.)
I’ve signed up for a 5K trail run which takes place Saturday morning in Granite Bay, California. (Some of you will be reading this while I’m out on the course!) I’ve been following a schedule to get ready for that run, and it has included tracking my times on the 5K route near my home.
Last Sunday morning I went for my run and set my stopwatch as I left the driveway. I’ve got the “course” charted by mile and I’ve been tracking my improving times along the way. When I got to mile one I looked at my stopwatch and was absolutely stunned to see that the first number was a “5”. As in, 5 minutes-plus for the first mile. Had I really just run a sub-six minute mile?! Read more…
I ran across this great article on www.dumblittleman.com that I thought you’d enjoy. (It’s true – I sometimes visit a website called “Dumb Little Man”. It’s actually a pretty good site.)
I think this is a topic we all struggle with sometimes. I’m hoping you’ll read it, learn from it, and add anything you do to get motivated.
- JS
8 Ways to Motivate Yourself (When You Just Don’t Feel Like It)
Jason Barr
So, how do you motivate yourself if you’re not feeling motivated? I think the feelings are key to understanding the root challenge. You’re not always going to feel like doing something. You have to lead your emotions, not let your emotions lead you. Take one or more of these 8 eight concrete steps to inject some purpose into your situation. Read more…
