Goals (and an interesting question)

“You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about.” ~~Mark Victor Hansen~~

I’ve been thinking a lot this morning about motivation and goals, and how they work together. I know that I like a good, solid “to do” list to cross off daily as I accomplish tasks. They help me feel productive each day, even when what I am working on is administrative and tactical. I know short term goals set weekly or monthly (or even annually) help me focus and stay my course. But I think it may be my long term goals, my 10 year plans, that really help motivate me, and provide me with that extra stick-to-itiveness I need when I just don’t feel like taking action. So, now I’m curious… What motivates you? Which set of goals do you feel helps you most, or do you think all three are equally as important?

Motivation

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~~

Today I remind myself to get out of my own way!!

I had a great coaching session this morning. I had a client come in who was feeling a bit demoralized about her job search. She’s in what she called a holding pattern… She’s waiting to hear back from a final round of interviews and she was really struggling with moving forward with her search while she was waiting. We talked through some of this as much as we could, and then I started talking to her about her 10-year plan. She really does have a dream, and thinking about it kind of made her smile, but it has no real shape or form. She couldn’t really define it and as such has no idea what it will take to achieve. (I’ve already talked about the importance of a plan… here is a great “case in point”.) As we looked at her dream, talked about it in some detail, and put some thought around how to actually make it possible, she started to get excited again. We talked about what proficiencies she might need to acquire, what certifications she could get, what alliances she could build, and what she could be doing now in order to make that 10 year dream actually possible. ** I suggested she think more about this. I suggested she do some research. I suggested she talk with her husband and her kids to get their input on this plan. I suggested that she graph out what she can do between now and then to really help her get there. And then I suggested that she make it “look pretty” and hang it on her wall! Maybe she could even cut out pictures or take photos of what this could “look like” in 10 years, and remind herself why she is doing what she is doing now. This visual could be just the motivation she needs to stay ON in this job search…

Well, fast forward to one of my favorite sayings, “physician, heal thyself!’

I have a dream… in fact, I have several. And sometimes I lose sight of them. Sometimes I forget why I am working so hard, and I forget what I’m working for! So, today, I remind myself to get out of my own way because my dreams CAN be my reality, and I am worth it!

“Grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me. ~Author unknown, variation of an excerpt from "The Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Neibuhr

** 10—year plan format credit goes to Linda VanValkenburgh at www.MyExecutiveCareerCoach.com. If you want to talk with a phenomenal career coach about developing an individualized career campaign, I highly recommend giving her a call!

Goals

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” ~~Stephen A. Brennan

Back to Basics Part Three: The importance of a Plan! I was privileged to attend a breakfast this morning held by the Women’s Business Development Council, and honoring some very special and inspirational women in our local community. It was moving, and also rather timely. The theme of the breakfast was about accessing capital (really geared toward small business owners and entrepreneurs) but there was another point routinely made that I think is so critical… you need a plan! Whether it’s a business plan, a 10 year plan, a life plan, plans to build an addition or a deck… you need a plan. Whether you are running your business, running your job search, or running your life… you are in control, As it was said today and many times before, you need to be your own Chief Executive Officer. You need to run the business of being you. Totally empowering! And perfect for today’s “basic”.

Thursday: Goals

“Map out your future, but do it in pencil.” ~Jon Bon Jovi, quoted in Reader's Digest, "Quotable Quotes," September 2002 ~~ I’ve been doing a lot of talking lately about the importance of a 10 year (or 20 year) plan. How can you know how to get where you’re going, if you don’t *know* where you’re going? It has come to my attention that one thing that holds people back from creating a 10 year plan, is the fear that once they “write it down”, they have to stick to it. And, nobody wants to feel stuck. So, here’s my solution. Give yourself permission to change your mind. It’s ok. You need a plan; you need goals. They help you map out your future. It’s much easier to know what you should be doing now if you know where you want to end up. It’s wise to think about the steps you can take now that will help you get to where you want to be later. And be secure in the knowledge that nothing is set in stone. Things change. People change. Life happens.