It was great bidding 2021 farewell and here we are at the beginning of a new year full of dreams, expectations, and opportunities which we approach with a bit of a “nervous twitch” because the previous two years have been everything but a “walk in the park”. Normally in January, and if you are fortunate enough, you are back from a good, but way too short December break armed with a list of New Year Resolutions that you plan to tick off during 2022. All of us ignore the fact that our success rate on these resolutions is well below 30% because we believe we won’t repeat the blunders of the previous 2, 3 or 5 years. The fact is that a resolution is just another word for a GOAL and most of us are great at thinking up GOALS, but when it comes to the planning, execution and follow-through we are, for lack of a better description, “hopeless.” In our defense, and let’s be honest, none of us had a subject at school/university called “Effective Goal Setting”, but still we are expected to plan, forecast, and budget our way through life. In my career as an ActionCOACH Business Coach, I have worked with clients, although in the minority, that are good at goal setting and planning. What made them stand out is their approach to goal setting and the fact that they understood the basics of goal setting better than most.
What are the basics of goal setting? Let me elaborate:
Firstly, they all understood that when you set a goal, you have to take the time to UNPACK the goal from all corners and consider all possible “challenges” as well as all possible “solutions” to achieve the goal. The “less is more” approach doesn’t work here so really take the time to think it through.
Secondly, the success in achieving a goal lies in the quality of the ACTIONS you have identified. Each action should be a step closer to achieving your goal and you cannot skip or jump a step just because you are getting impatient or you start to lose motivation. Remember the rule of “How to eat an elephant” – ‘bite for bite.’
Thirdly, you have to document all the dates and timelines by when each action should start and be completed, and be very clear on what completed “should look like”. If your actions are weak and have no timelines attached to them, then your goal will remain a wish for a very long time.
Lastly, and most importantly, before you even start the process of goal setting, ask yourself the question: “How important is it for ME to achieve this specific goal?” Only when you understand the WHY, will you be committed to the HOW and will you take full OWNERSHIP of the goal. Then and only then, will you have a realistic chance of success. In order to OWN the goal, it should be your goal and not anybody else’s ideas or suggestions.
Taking ownership of a goal is also very relevant in business when I assist business owners with planning and goal setting. If your team has no input into planning and goal setting, how do you expect them to associate and be excited to achieve the goals that you have set for them? Make sure you ask for their input, their ideas, their commitment, and that it is a shared goal.
Having said all this I encourage you to keep on setting goals that will challenge you at a business and also at a personal level. Make sure you smash 2022 and make it count! So remember when setting your goals, do the basics well and make sure you OWN YOUR GOALS! If you’re serious about setting and achieving goals your GOALS this year, get professional assistance that will guarantee results in your business! Book your spot at your nearest ActionCOACH 90-day Business Planning Workshop: https://bit.ly/3rRObyp
Cornè Oosthuizen, ActionCOACH Business Coach
corneoosthuizen.actioncoach.com | corneoosthuizen@actioncoach.com