One of my life goals is to own a buffalo and a Longhorn. I feel like those two would get along really well. If they decided to mate, I'd have a LongBuff or possibly a BuffHorn. It's a pretty sweet mental picture. Lofty goals though, I know. As the new year approaches many people gear up to make life changing goals like losing weight or saving money. Problem is, often times these goals are surface level and don't have a lot of meaning. Let's work on that.
Many job descriptions say "Must be a goal oriented person." And most people in their head say "Yeah! That's me!" Now I've come to realize that a lot of us set goals. Some people set hourly goals, a lot of people make lists for daily goals, and then there's those humans setting the curve that make yearly goals. In fact, some people do all of the above. Show offs. But I don't think setting goals is the problem we have, it's the sticking to them part that is so hard for us to swallow. So here's a couple of things I've found to make those new found intentions a little more sticky.
First off, a good set of goals should make the nervousness in your stomach clinch up. When you set your goals, there should be a small part of you questioning "Can I really do that?" So if you're into being subpar, you should safely set your goals to be easily achievable. That will make you feel great in the short run. Kind of like destroying your little cousins in basketball though, it doesn't really mean much. Now don't get crazy, goals should definitely be realistic to you, but they should also be made to stretch your potential.
Teachers often tell children that the sky is the limit, but don't teach the basics on how to get there. It's pretty simple actually: Step one: Think about it. Step two: Tell people about it. Let's start with the first step....
I bet there wasn't a day that Michael Jordan rolled about of bed and didn't think about how to be a better basketball player. And I'm pretty sure Bill Gates hasn't gone too many days not thinking about computers. As with anyone who is a blackbelt in their field...they thought their way into success. This isn't a science, it's a simplicity that just happens. The more you focus your thoughts on what you want, the higher your success rate. To put this more on a day to day level... if you are looking for a job, a good part of your day should be thinking about what job you want and how you are going to get one. If you want to lose weight, think about it when you're deciding between either Fruit Loops or Honey Bunches of Oats at the grocery store. Little decisions.
Then spread the word. Tell people about your goals. Why? Because it increases your commitment to that decision. The more people you tell you're going to do something, the more accountability is put on you to follow through with it. Also, I like to tell the people who are important to me all of my goals. The decision to achieve something is easier if the respect of people you care about is on the line. Although friendly, the guy at the Starbucks airport won't keep you as accountable as your "BFF."
Side note, another way to commit yourself to something is simply in your phrasing. There is a big difference in saying "I'm going to try to find a job" versus "I'm going to find a job." Yep.
Another thing that I like to do to really saturate my goals is to advertise them everywhere in my daily routine. My bathroom mirror has them posted on it for when I'm practicing dental hygiene. The background on this computer is my goals. The notes section in my phone even has them for light reading material. Little things like that, force me to think about what I want to achieve.
Now I'm no innovator in the game, these are just a few wise old indian tricks that have worked for me in my 25 years. So this year, instead of setting goals because Ellen told you to, set some ambitions to improve you as a human. As always, this information may work for you, and it may not. But hell, it's worth a try.
New in my life: Looking forward to using the same shampoo for a whole week. A cup of Joe now has a dual purpose. If you have a layover on a flight, you should have the option to audible your connecting destination.
Keep smiling'
JM
