Six Quick Steps to Achieving Your Goals
First, I am assuming you are a goal seeker rather than a problem solver. However, if you are a problem solver just change the wording found in the six steps to match a problem solving strategy.
Now, I realize what I just said has caught a few of you goal oriented people by surprise. And, I can imagine some of you are thinking I must be nuts since everyone knows about and wants to achieve goals.
Well, my forward thinking group of goal seekers welcome to the real world of preferences. About half the population is all about moving away from problems rather than towards an objective or goal. (Managers please pay close attention to this if you want to make ALL your team members successful.) People who move away from problems are great at solving issues the goal seekers have difficulty dealing with – another example of matching the people (goal or problem solver) to the requirements of jobs, tasks or projects.
In any event, there are six quick steps to achieving your goal or solving your problems (problem solvers please just rewrite the steps in terms acceptable to you.).
The Six Quick Steps
- Deeply Desire a Goal (to fix the Problem)
This is really simple yet a critical part of your level of commitment. When people have a deep desire for something, their ability to make it happen increases due to their focus and clarity. As the Cable Guy says – Get ‘er Done! - Visualize Achieving the Goal (eliminating the Problem)
Create a mental picture of success in your mind. Add color and motion to your image and watch it in your own personal 3-D version if you can. The interesting thing about creating a visual image in your mind is the fact your mind cannot distinguish between the imaged and the reality in many cases. Therefore, when you launch your project you will be calmer due to a feeling of experience and know how – thus getting results faster than you assumed. - Make a Plan (works for both)
This is not a time for winging it! A plan requires thought and focus. This act of thinking leads you to a path of accomplishing your target – goal or problem. This way you know what must be done and in what order. It could include items about who needs or should be involved for higher probabilities of success. - Commit to Achievement with a Written Plan (works of both)
This is the part that catches most people, since most do not like to write down their action plans or the target. A written objective or degree of problem can be half the process. The actual act of writing a goal or a problem down on a piece of paper can bring more clarity to the issue than ever before. By the way, typing it is not quite the same as writing it down. I know this sounds corny, yet, there are more connections fired in the brain when you write than when you to type. Writing is more of a free flowing creative activity where as typing is more of learned technique and actually can limit some creativity. Try writing for you electronic types and see if it works better. The old journal is still one of the best creativity and idea generating tools you can have. - Schedule progress Checkpoints or Milestones (again works for both)
Without a series of deadlines or targets you will find yourself coasting when you should be applying more energy. Someone told me years ago – A Goal with No Deadline is a Wish! and we all know “hope is not a strategy.” Create deadlines and mini-deadlines to help engage yourself. The act of setting a deadline actually creates some positive stress for you to keep focused and make it happen by the assigned date. Goal achieved or Problem solved. - Review and Monitor Progress Regularly (works for both)
Review and reflection are positive elements of checking how you succeeded. This activity helps you gauge your level of achievement and accomplishment. It also allows you to assess how well you performed – documenting what worked well and what areas will need improvement in the future.
There you have a six quick steps to achieving your goals / objectives or solving / eliminating a Problem. Test the process as soon as possible to create a habit of using a systematic approach to goal achieve or problem solving. It works, so make them happen quickly.
Voss Graham
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Tags: away from problem solvers, goal achievers, Goals, goals or problems, quick steps to achievement, six steps to goal achievement, Voss W Graham
