Got Goals?By Life Coach Brook Montagna, M.S., Personal and Professional Coaching
Date: 12/01/2003
 Do you have clear goals for the new year? Are you wondering
how to achieve your goals? Good, solid plans, and a foundation for success will
help you create life and business on your terms.
Here are 10 steps to
set and achieve meaningful goals. The Steps to Success can be used over and
over, whenever it's time to chart your course again.
Steps to Success
1 - Clear the decks. It is important to
release negative energy caught up in past events. Say goodbye to past mistakes,
frustrations, or disappointments and keep your focus on now. In order to reach
new goals, you will need all the positive energy you can muster!
2 -
Create a Vision. A vision for your life is like a magnet pulling you
forward. A clear and meaningful vision is essential to staying motivated and
focused. This is your dream, purpose, and mission you know you want to live. It
is important to be able to see it, feel it, taste it and know it is possible for
you. Write it, draw it, collage it, sing it, whatever keeps it alive!
3 - Prioritize. From your vision, decide what aspects are most
important. For example: If your vision includes several new business projects,
create a priority list starting with the project that you are most passionate
about.
4 - Set definite goals. Achievable goals are reasonable
and specific. They are written down, and specify what, when, and how. Create
deadlines, detailed steps, visible reminders, daily reviews, and consistent
action. This takes time, but it’s critical to getting the results you want.
Remember the carpenter's rule for increasing effectiveness, "Measure twice. Cut
once".
5 - Commit. What does commitment to your goals mean to you?
Do you think of drudgery, or excitement? Success over the long term stems from a
commitment that is grounded in excitement. Read your vision every day to keep
the excitement fresh.
6 - Create a Foundation for Success.
Increase your chances for success by including a plan for each of the following:
- Mind Management – Take charge of your thinking. Negative thinking is like
an anchor when you are trying to move forward into new territory. Write out
positive, confident beliefs and thoughts that you will entertain for your
success, and read them frequently.
- Time Management – Schedule your time for effectiveness, and be accountable
to the actions you have planned. Don't overcommit and curb your time wasters.
Use a calendar!
- Emotion Management – What helps you get back on track when you experience
disappointment, discouragement, or doubt? Set up a support system of friends,
peers, service providers, and a good self care program so that you bounce back
quickly. Be sure to include fun and humor as part of the process in reaching
your goals.
- Environment management – How will you handle all the distractions? The
phone calls, e-mail, noise, too many ideas in your own mind? It pays to
address each potential distraction with concrete action. For example, if you
find that responding to e-mail is a time thief and reduces your productivity,
select a reasonable amount of time to respond to e-mail, schedule it, and
stick to it!
- Gremlin management – Gremlins are everything else within your own make up,
the patterns and behaviors that get in the way of your success.
Procrastination is one of the most familiar to all of us. With mindfulness and
conscious attention to your thinking and actions, you can change old habits.
If you need help making a change, try coaching. Don’t let anything stop
you!
7 - Take action. Each goal can be broken down into
small steps. Think about each long term goal and “rewind the tape” in your mind.
How did you get there? What steps did you take? Write down the steps, put them
on your calendar in such a way that each task can reasonably be accomplished.
8 - Evaluate and Revise. This is very important! Schedule a
review session each week where you look at your results so that you may:
- Learn from mistakes
- Celebrate successes (no matter how small)
- Revise plans if needed
9 - Keep the faith. Who or
what will you call on to remind you of your greatness and your ability to reach
your goals? Support Group? Inspirational Books? Friends? Peers? Life Coach? Be
prepared to use these resources.
10 - Use the Steps to Success process whenever you set a
new goal. It is my hope that this outline will help you create your vision for
the new year.
Ready, Set, Action!
For more help with patterns of procrastination and to be empowered for personal, professional, and financial success, contact Brook Montagna, M.S., Professional Coach call, 951-776-2844, or email at brook@mindfullifecoach.com.
This article may be reprinted for use in newsletters and websites
provided that the signature box is kept intact. Email notice of intent
to publish is appreciated: brook@mindfullifecoach.com
Brook Montagna, Life Coach
Coaching Individuals, Couples, and Groups
for Excellence in Life and Business
FREE Success Tips Newsletter, The Mindful Life
brook@mindfullifecoach.com
805-640-2445
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Brook helped guide me through
a difficult and complex business situation where I had to stand up for myself
and figure out what my own needs and wants were. She helped me see my way
through the intricacies with real caring, skill and extremely ...