Did you know that you are capable of almost any level of success? Yes, that is true. As long as you invest the time in proper planning, preparation and just like a golf swing, you need to follow through.
Remember in past articles I have stated that you need to know why you want to achieve a specific goal? You have to know what to do in order to achieve the goal and lastly, you need a plan in place to achieve it. I have spoken to many people in my coaching career and some take pride in being able to recite their goals and ambitions.
They think that reciting their goals impresses others. They carry their affirmation cards and they show me their vision boards and their goals folded in their wallet. But when I drill down and scratch beneath the surface, I find that many goals lack substance; there was no thought, no purpose, no planning – it’s a recitation for effect. Without a plan for reaching your goals, you will be side tracked easily.
Do not get me wrong, I write my goals and they are time sensitive. I place a ton of urgency in achieving my goals because life is very short and I know that when there is no urgency in place. I can drag a goal for over a decade that I could easily reach in a span of six months with strategy and focus.
How do I know? Because there are goals that I wrote and procrastinated in taking massive action and the whole process of achieving it took longer than expected. There was no urgency and importance on the goal in the first place, so I did not put plans and specific actions to achieve them. However, as time passed, I realised that this particular goal is a part of a puzzle that I am personally trying to piece together.
On a weekly basis, I have a board meeting with myself. I sit down and evaluate my progress on my goals. This weekly session lasts between 30-60 minutes and I learned this from Stephen Covey from his timeless classic “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. I am specifically talking about rule number 7 “Sharpen The Saw”. People interpret this rule in many ways.
Personally, I take this moment to reflect and re-evaluate my progress and make changes accordingly. This activity both excites and frustrates me depending on how I am tracking on achieving my goal. I use this time to recalibrate and adjust what needs adjusting; most times it’s my attitude or my work rate, my mindset or reframing how I see the challenge in front of me that needs adjusting.
There is more than one way to skin a cat; there is more than one way to reach your ideal destination. You will need a strategy (a road map). You will need to know why this particular journey is important.
Take breaks once in a while and check the map to ensure that you are still on the right path. Keep your eyes on the destination, make frequent adjustments, and follow-through by always moving forward.
Until next time, STAY FOCUSED!
