What are your plans for 2009?

Can you believe that 2009 is already upon us? I don’t know about you but the last 12 months have just flown by in what seems like a record time that Usain Bolt would be proud of!

So, how was 2008 for you? Being the kind of person you are, I’m guessing you will have had some goals or targets set out for the year. Did you achieve all you set out to?

I don’t know what your answer will be but I do know that most people I talk to don’t actually achieve what they set out to. Many end up in the vicinity but few actually land on “X” that marks the spot.

So, what’s the difference between those that hit the bull’s eye and those that land on the outside of the board you might ask? Well, there is no one definitive answer but there are some key points which contribute to the difference. One of them is the way in which successful people structure theirs goals.

Now, I’m pretty confident that you already know something about setting goals and about how much more likely you are to achieve them if you write them down versus carrying them around in your head. (over 50% more likely for the record.)

However it’s not just about writing them down. Many people who set goals fail to achieve them in the way they wanted because the directions they give themselves were not “tight” enough. Let me give you an example – “I want to make more money” – that’s a fairly generic statement. It’s kind of like getting in your car and programming your Sat Nav to take you North.

There is a specific proven structure to setting out goals which all but guarantees your success.

Here are some key questions to ask yourself when structuring your goals for 2009 which I believe will get you closer to that “X” on your map : –

Make sure you state your goal in the positive – What specifically do you want?
It never ceases to amaze me that when I ask people what they want, the first 10 things they tell me are what they don’t want!
Be sure to write what you actually want. It should be something you are moving towards as opposed to something you are moving away from. For example when working with people who are overweight they often come along with a goal of “losing weight”. This is still a negative statement. “Losing” is moving away from something as opposed to “ I want to achieve my ideal weight of 75lbs” which is a positive moving towards statement.

Where you are starting from.
In order for you to begin to plan your journey you need to know where you are starting from. Be clear about where you are now. For example continuing on from the weight example above “I am 15 stone and 7 pounds with a body fat ratio of 27%. My waist is 36 inches and and I have a 17 inch collar. I can jog up to 5 minutes without stopping and have never lifted any weights. I skip breakfast everyday and drink 5 cups of coffee with 4 sugars in each.”

What will it be like when you achieve this?
In as much detail as possible begin to create a picture of it will be like when you achieve your goal. What will you see around you? What will the colours be like? Who else is in the picture?
What about the sounds? What will you be saying to yourself? What will others say about you? What else can you hear? Is there any music?
How will you feel having achieved you goal? Describe the sensations as much as you can. Where in your body will they be? Are the hot or cold? Are they still or moving? What’s the intensity like?

What’s your evidence for success?
Just as you look for signs that you’ve reached your destination, you need to ask yourself how you will know when you have achieved your goal.
What will be present? What will be missing? For example “ I’ll know I have achieved my goal when I am able to run for 10 miles without stopping and can fit comfortably into my favorite pair of Levis jeans”

Is this what you really want?
Ask yourself is this what YOU really want? Is this goal about you or about what you think others want you to do? If you are not fully congruent with it the chances are you will nit keep up the action required. Think about what achieving this goal will enable you to do or what it will get for you?

Is this goal only for you?
It’s important that the goal is self maintained and is for you only. Often people set goals that involve other people changing what they do. For example “I’ll start my training plan once my boss stops asking me to work late.”

When you rely on someone or something else to change in order for you to achieve your goal you are effectively giving up your responsibility and personal power. What happens if they never do what you need them to do? What ownership will you take?

What’s the context for this goal?
It’s important to remember that achieving a goal in one context doesn’t automatically make it appropriate in another. You should be clear about where and when you want to achieve this goal. For example if you had a goal of “Being more loving and affectionate with your partner” it would be inappropriate for this to be achieved in a work environment.

What resources do you need to achieve this?
In order for you to achieve your goal what resources do you already have that you can use?  We often forget what we already have, so it’s important to search deep and look at what resources are already present in your life that will enable you to start your journey. For example continuing on from the weight loss scenario, you may state that “you have some training clothes, some running shoes, a skipping rope and park nearby to run in.”

Have you ever done this before? Again, people often forget what they have done in their past. If you look back at your past you’ll be amazed at what you have already done in your life. For example, you may look back as far a school and gym/P.E. classes in terms of looking at when you may have exercised before.

Do you know anyone else who as done this? We live in a highly networked world now, so the chances are that you will know someone who knows someone that may have done what you are looking to do. Tapping into that resource can help you understand what other resources you may need.

Is this ecological?
The process of setting up goals and targets can be very self focused. It’s important to check in with yourself as to how you achieving this goal will affect the people around you including loved ones, and how the environment is impacted. To help you uncover some of the impacts asks yourself:

For what purpose you want this?
What would you gain or lose by having this goal?
What will happen if you get it?
What won’t happen if you get it?
What will happen if you don’t get it?
What won’t happen if you don’t get it?

By following these steps and asking yourself there questions I’m confident that you can constructed a well formed goal and have a great chance of achieving what you want.

So get started, have some fun and craft out your successes for 2009!