So if you’ve got some goals, you’re pumped for the year ahead – now what?
This is part 4 in a series on goal setting, and will help you make sure that at the end of 2024, you’re reflecting back on achievement and moments that matter.
I’ve got three things that will up your chances of success…
1. Focus on one thing at once. Behaviour change can be a challenge, so keep your focus on a small number of changes.
2. Frame it in terms of processes and habits rather than outcomes. You can
control the inputs (your habits) but you can’t control the outcomes – decisions get made, many factors weighed up and you can’t control most of them.
If you put in place the habits that you want – you’ll get some change and you’ll learn something about yourself. This could even be more important that the big goal!
So if your big goal for the year is to get promoted, what are the practices that are going to get you there? What do you need to do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly? Identify the behaviours that you think will get you there, and commit to those – and then let the outcome take care of itself.
3. Pressure testing what might get in your way of your habits and commitments. Thinking in advance about what might get in your way (eg it’s going to be hard to continually ask for feedback and advice about my presentation skills – I might have to ask more than once, or someone might say things I don’t agree with) means you’ve already thought about it – so when it happens, you can have a response ready (I knew it would be hard but they payoff will be worth it). This works for habits and practices too –if you’ve thought through in advance the benefits, and it’s not a surprise when the feeling comes around, you’ll recognise it and be able to deal with it and do the thing anyway.
Remember, relying on willpower is unlikely to get you where you want to go. Put in place systems and processes that support the things you want, and you’ll be amazed at where you can go!
