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Top 10 Tips for taking action on your goals
Take the time to think, reflect and understand what you really want from 2008 and beyond. Think how your work goals can help you realise your personal goals. This can take a day or a week of thinking and reflection to ensure the goals are truly what you want.
So, you now have your goals. You are confident that they are achievable.
You are rearing to go, ready to make this year your finest! This is where a lot of goals stay – at the starting block waiting for the starting pistol before flying to the finish line.
When growing up we learn to be passive about goals and action. When we are at school, college and university, we are working to the goals of the course as set by others. Yes, we gain the qualifications but we have not worked out the steps required, the learning and integrated them into in our habits, making it a way of life. This is what separates high achievers from the rest of the population.
So here we have the actions required to realise our goals.
- Write your goals down
The first step to success is to write the goal down. Be clear what it is that you really want and when you want it.
- Make sure your goals are divided into bite sized pieces
If you have heard the saying – you eat an elephant piece by piece, this is what you do. Having identified the whole goal, where are you going to start – at the tail, the trunk, a back foot or one of the front feet?
Be comfortable with your starting position and keep the chunks bite sized. When we look at the whole elephant, it is huge but looking at the tip of the tail or the bottom of its trunk, that activity is manageable.
- Know your obstacles
Be quiet and reflect what is stopping you from having that goal in your life. There must be some obstacle otherwise you would already have your goal. Think about how you are to overcome that fear or belief. Take action to overcome that now!
- Keep a journal
This is an excellent way to help you through the difficult and easy times. Writing about what keeps you moving, what stops you and what you think could help you. It keeps you focused on your goal and the actions you have taken so far.
- Make the goal part of your life today
Act as if you have already achieved the goal. Think of yourself already there in every part of your life. Remember what it feels like to already achieve your goal.
- Celebrate each success
Everyone needs encouragement and that includes you! Each time you complete a chunk, let people know, give yourself a treat, write it down that you are that step closer to achieving your goal.
- Ask for help
Making changes in your life on your own can be challenging. Make it easier for yourself by asking for support particularly while you are changing habits.
- There is no such thing as failure
Take heart, look at a baby starting to walk, do they get up the first time and off they go? No, they practice, practice and practice – modifying their approach until they have it perfect. Use set backs as feedback improving your understanding of your relationship with the goal. You are creating a new path in your life, keep to it and the old patch will be forgotten and become overgrown.
- Learn new skills
Working on your goal is like taking a journey. Be open to experiences along the way. You may find that new skills, new habits and new behaviours are required. Take time to find out where to learn these. Read some books, sign up for a course and ask others how they made changes in their life.
- Go the extra mile
Success is in direct proportion to what you do over and above what is expected of you. This means by getting up that bit earlier, do that bit more you move faster from task to task. You gain more experience and more results in the same time. You start to fly and by 2009, you are reviewing your achievements and define what you want for the next year. What’s more, you are feeling fabulous! You are confident. You get positive feedback on your work, your attitude and new opportunities unfold.
Practice these tips and before you know it you and you team will be flying, achiveing all you set out to do and more.
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