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Tip
of the Month: January 2008
The much overlooked key ingredient to goal setting
Dear Friends,
Here's the difference between those who set "real" goals
and those who don't. REAL goals must be meaningful, measurable, and attainable.
But in my experience, it goes much deeper than that and there is a fourth measurement
that almost always gets overlooked. Yet it is more important than meaningful,
measurable, and attainable. It is the heart and soul of setting and reaching
goals and without it, you are doomed. That is, YOU REALLY HAVE TO WANT IT!
Here's one example: As a person who spends six days a week in a gym somewhere
and has for over ten years, you can count on crowded health clubs at the beginning
of every January. Sweat pours off of those who have drawn the line on procrastination,
self-avoidance, lack of balance, and generally unhealthy behavior.
So why is it then that health clubs are packed in January and empty in March?
The reason the crowd gets "right sized" and only the regulars and
the few who broke through remain is very simple. Those who stick with their goals,
really, really, really, want to. They find pleasure and reward in the pursuit.
They become addicted to the feeling they get from strenuous activity. They focus
on the results that they are getting from the hard work, and THEY LOVE IT. Their
true intention is to work out and nothing will keep them from the gym.
The truth is we don't do what we don't want to do for very long.
If we really dislike exercising, or if we really view it as a time stealer, or
if we truly don't see the payoff, we aren't going to stay with it.
If our goals (any goals) are painful or unimportant to a point that we practice
avoidance, we will never, ever, ever, hit the goal. If we find pleasure in the
fight for the goal, and if we see a major payoff, we will stick with it. It is
just that simple. We must love what we are after. We must become possessed by
achieving our goals.
Some of my 2007 goals didn't even hit my radar screen, because at the end
of the day, I REALLY DIDN'T WANT THEM. I'm going to be smarter this
year and incorporate the fourth most important ingredient into goal setting.
I will make sure my goals are meaningful, measurable, and attainable. Most importantly,
I will make sure that the goals I set are ones that I REALLY WANT. I know it
sounds simple, but self honesty can be difficult. At the end of the year, at
the end of the timeframe you set for the goal, there's nowhere to hide. |
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