Do you have a pile of uncompleted goals hanging over you?
It’s a common issue for most people. Many of us set ourselves targets and goals. We start out with good intentions. And then they get abandoned by the wayside. The goals are forgotten. We fail to achieve what we set out to.
When this happens we often decide not to set any more goals. But this creates a big problem.
Goal setting is vital if you want to move forward
People who set and carry out goals are in control of what they are doing. They have a plan that they keep to. As a result, they end up achieving what they set out to do.
People who fail to set goals, or who do not keep to their goals, will struggle to achieve what they want to. They do not have a system that helps them stay in control and move forward.
So what’s the best way to set goals that are actually achieved? Here are three strategies to make sure that you have the best possible likelihood of accomplishing what you set out to do. The first is very simple.
Write down your goals
Depending on whom you read, research shows that people are between 42% and 80% more likely to achieve their goals if they write them down. So make sure you put your goals in writing. Even better, print out your goals and place them somewhere where you will see them regularly. If you are visual, you could also include a picture of what success looks like.
However, you also need to make sure you have planned a journey towards the end result.
Set measurable mini-steps
One big goal can seem like an impossible task. So chunk your goal down into little steps. Think about what actions you need to take in order to achieve your goal. Wherever possible, you should quantify these so that you know that you are not just taking action but that you are taking enough action.
The next step is to make sure that you actually carry out these mini-steps. That’s where the next strategy comes in.
Find an accountability partner
An accountability partner is someone you report to. It doesn’t have to be a manager: they can be a colleague or a friend. But they are tasked with making sure that you tell them what you are doing about your goal. They are also tasked with chasing you up if they don’t hear from you. They make sure that you keep on track.
Here’s how to use these three strategies when progressing your career
Let’s say you want to work towards a promotion. The first step is to write down the job you want and put it somewhere to make sure you keep this goal in mind.
Next, map out everything you need to do to achieve the goal. For instance you may need to:
- gain a new qualification
- show a certain level of experience in your current job
- research possible vacancies
- make sure your cv gets to the right people
For each of these sub-goals, set out very precise actions and timescales.
Once you have done this, find a friend and give them your list. Make sure they understand that you want them to chase you and make sure you are carrying out your actions.
You’ll find that you achieve your goal sooner than you thought
This won’t be a case of having an uncompleted goal hanging over you. It will be a case of achieving what you set out to do.
PS If you’d like more practical ideas on how to engage with today’s buyers, download my free e-book “Ten Common Print Selling Errors and What To Do About Them” right now at http://profitableprintrelationships.com/e-book/ You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to sell print effectively.
About the Author
This Blog was created by Matthew Parker who is a
Champion of Print at Profitable Print Relationships http://profitableprintrelationships.com/about-matthew/ - we are grateful to Matthew for providing this insight to visitors to our web site.