Don’t just set goals, achieve them!

We are all familiar with the art of setting goals. Like most business owners, I’m sure by now you may have set some goals for the next six or 12 months. You have made a promise to yourself to do things differently, work more efficiently perhaps and of course make more money. Setting goals is the easy part. So how do you go from being a goal setter to someone who actually achieves their goals easily and effortlessly?

Achieving your goals comes easier when we know where we are heading. Goals are like a destination. They are where you want to go. Without goals, you simply cannot arrive at a destination, and if you don’t know where you are going then how will you ever know what actions you need to take to achieve higher levels of success and achievement. It would be fair to say then: Goals give your business and your life direction. Taking consistent daily action at the right time and in the right order will then help you achieve your goals easily and effortlessly.

If you look around you, you will notice successful people have very different habits. They think, and do things differently. They are however no different to you or I. We can achieve what they do and more. They just have particular habits that anyone can apply. Here are some key essentials to help you build the momentum so that you get closer to realising your full potential and getting closer to achieving your dreams and goals.

Know your why

Why you want to achieve your goals will always play an important role in whether you will achieve them or not. When setting your goals the stronger your why, the more committed you will be to doing whatever it takes to achieve them.

Set holistic and balanced goals

Successful people set goals in all areas of their business and life. When working on your goals be sure you develop goals in six areas of life: relationships, spiritual, contribution, financial, health and business. By pursuing goals in each area, you will create a more balanced and integrated life.

Be clear about what you want

All goals must be clear and concise, so when setting your goals be specific about what it is you want.

Aim high

Most of the time we are all aiming too low. It’s time to get out of your comfort zone. As the now-clichéd saying goes: Shoot for the stars, if you miss you’ll still be on the moon. Make your goals slightly unreasonable; in other words, don’t allow your (perceived) limitations to get in the way. Don’t allow your old conditioning to stop you from going after what you really want.

Write your goals in detail

Just the act of writing down goals sets the process in motion, so be specific. The more information you include the more probable the final result will be. By being as accurate as possible you invoke some of the natural laws of the universe in your favour as well as getting your brain to work for you in the most efficient way possible. It’s always a good idea to follow the SMARTA criteria (Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time bound Actionable) when setting goals and be sure you always set a date for achievement.

By writing your goals down you will be much clearer on where you are heading. Look at it every day, stick it on your fridge, or your computer, it can be a picture, the words, whatever will motivate you to keep striving to achieve your goal.

Make your goals consistent with your values

Most people don’t do what they value first and therefore find themselves stressed and out of alignment. Create a list of your highest values and then create your goals around them. This will give you a sense of being on purpose consistently.

Know the consequences

It’s very important to look at the consequences of achieving the goal. Ask yourself when setting your goals: “How will achieving this goal affect me or others? Is this outcome good for me and others.” Not all goals will have positive effects on others so it’s important you understand the positives and possible negatives to achieving your goals.

Review your goals daily

This is an important part of achieving success and must become routine. Review your list of goals each morning when you wake up. Visualize your completed goals and how your life looks and feels as a result. Each night before you go to bed, repeat the process. This is a great way to train your brain to expect your goals to materialize.

Create a plan and take consistent daily action

This is in fact the most important element to achieving your goals. It’s ok to know where you are headed and what you want to achieve however if you don’t get off your backside and take the necessary action to make it happen then nothing will happen at all. Be sure the action you take is consistent. Get into a daily habit of knowing what actions you need to take and in what order you need to take them in order to move closer to achieving your goals.

Take some time now to get clear on your goals and create a plan, once you have your goals worked out you need to ‘reverse engineer’ them starting with the end in mind and working back to the starting point.

Check your progress and celebrate your wins

Goals by nature are high achievements in life, and sometimes it can seem too hard to reach them, we lose motivation and give up! Break your goals into smaller ‘milestones’ so you can celebrate your wins along the way. It’s important to measure your progress to determine if you have gone off course. Measuring your progress regularly will enable you to shift back on course quickly with minimum disruption to your momentum. Keeping a check on your goals is also important as sometimes goals change so you can bend and flex where you need to, moving the goal to meet your changed conditions, requirements or intentions.

Don’t get discouraged

You will either achieve your goal, or you will gain insight into whatever is in the way of its achievement. This is not a setback; rather, it is part of your forward progress. Stay focused on what you want to achieve and you will find ways to solve difficulties or break through barriers. Celebrate every success and before you know it, you’ll have to make a whole new list for ‘next level achievement!’

Finally, be committed!

There’s a big difference between being interested in achieving your goals or being committed to their achievement. Those who are interested tend to do what is convenient, what is easy and what everyone else does.

Those who are committed will be able to achieve whatever it is they want no matter want, because they will learn what they need to learn, they will rehearse what they need to rehearse, they will practice and they will do whatever is needed to be done.

Committed people don’t have excuses; they relentlessly give up all their excuses and the reasons why they don’t have what they want. They get rid of their excuses and they stop blaming their outside circumstances and put their attention on how they will and how they can achieve their goals. So the most important question I encourage you to ask yourself today is: Are you Interested or Committed in Achieving Your Goals?

If you need some help and support in gaining clarity around setting and achieving your goals, email tania@vision-alliance.com to receive a Complimentary Goal Achiever Pack valued at $97.

Tania Allen is the founder of Vision Alliance and author of Franchise Profits, Essential Telephone Skills and the soon to be released book Bounce Forward & Breakthrough. Vision Alliance is a franchise coaching & consulting firm delivering holistic solutions to both franchisees and franchisors.

If you would like some more information or support in this area contact Tania Allen at:

Phone: 1300 76 49 20 / 0419481203
Email: tania@vision-alliance.com
Web: www.vision-alliance.com

Register for free webinars at: webinars.vision-alliance.com