Be A Goal Getter Not Just A Goal Setter

Be a Goal Getter Not Just a Goal Setter

by

Warwick Merry

Are you affected by BSOs, or as they are known Bright Shiny Objects? If so, you are not alone. Most people have a strong idea of what they are after and then as they set off toward their goal they are distracted if not completely side-tracked by BSOs.

So how do you stay on track? How do you remain focussed on what you are really after? How can you be a Goal Getter and not just a Goal Setter? This was the subject of much discussion at the recent Mid-Year Leadership Conference on the Gold Coast. First it was the subject of the opening keynote and then later it was the subject of several corridor conversations during the course of the conference.

Even now, as they read this, there will be several people who were at the conference who have forgotten all about it and the lessons they learnt there. They will have come back to the mountain of email and bulging in-tray of issues that demand their attention NOW!

So let s look at the Five Key Elements of how you can be a Goal Getter.

First you have to understand what your goal is and write it down. It s good to take action but it needs to be relevant to what you are after. Knowing it is a great start but it is not enough. Have clarity about it too. Increase Sales is very different to Sales in the Meals area of $3 million . Place the written goal somewhere where you can see it daily. This assists in minimising the impact of the BSO!

Second you HAVE to know the Why behind the goal. A goal on its own is not enough of a driver. The goal won t speak to you as strongly as the why behind the goal. That is where the emotion is and where your commitment and drive will come from.

For example, To have a million dollars by the time I am 40 will not drive you as much as Have paid off investments worth one million dollars by the time I am 40 so I can retire at 50 . The Why will get you out of bed in the morning when you don t really want to go. The stronger the why the more likely you will be to achieve the goal.

Third you have to take Daily Action towards your goal. This is the key difference between a Goal Getter and a Goal Setter. Goal Setters write lists of goals and then wait for them to magically appear. Goal Getters take at least one piece of action each day to bring them closer to their goal.

The one step may be to register for next year s Leadership Conference as you work towards a senior leadership position. It could be to smile more and show gratitude to your staff as you work towards having a Preferred Place of Employment. Whatever it is, you need to take daily action towards your goal and maintain your focus on the bigger picture.

The Fourth element is to celebrate success. If you can make Celebrating Success a habit then success becomes a habit. It doesn t have to be for major successes either. It can be that small thing you have achieved that you acknowledge. Maybe you got to the first checkpoint of a project or maybe you successfully gave up sugar for the day. Larger events such as promotions, bonuses, engagements and building openings need celebration too.

Whatever your achievement is, be sure to celebrate with the appropriate size celebration. Why not create a Celebration Shopping List and match the celebrations to your current to do list? Feel free to use this template as a place to start as you create your own http://bit.ly/CelebrateList

The Fifth element is to be accountable. The same way it is easier to exercise when you have made arrangements to meet a friend at the gym or on the corner first thing in the morning, it is also easier to achieve your goal when you are accountable for it. You may choose to commit to certain checkpoints and share them with your accountability partner. The accountability partner s role is to check if you have met your commitment and not judge you if you have or have not met that commitment.

Use your colleagues, leader, partner, friends or even coach as an accountability partner. You will be surprised how powerful it is to share your goal with someone and have accountability checkpoints to meet. It is far more powerful than simply stating one day I d really like to .

Using these five elements you will quickly move from being a Goal Setter to being a fully-fledged Goal Getter. While all five elements are equally important, it is imperative that you spend time really getting in touch with your Why. The stronger the Why the more likely and more quickly you will be able to make the goal happen and not be side-tracked by the Bright Shiny Objects.

About the Author

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Warwick Merry is the Get More Guy – a motivational speaker and trade show specialist. He ignites an inexhaustible passion to Get More out of life. Visit http://www.warwickmerry.com to sign up for his Get More Goer – weekly thought of inspiration and visit http://www.doubleyourreturn.com for your free CD on how to double your exhibiting and sales return.Article Source: Be a Goal Getter Not Just a Goal Setter