Realize Your Goals

By now most of us have decided on some goals for the year and while our commitment to them remains high the effort required to move us toward achievement may have started to wane.   This probably comes as no surprise since fewer than 10% of people who set goals or resolutions actually achieve them.  Do you want to be in the 10% or the 90%?

What can you do differently to ensure you realize your goals?  Here are four steps that will support forward momentum.

1. Write your goals down.  Writing them down makes them real and heightens your commitment.  Before finalizing your goals ask yourself a few questions.  Is this goal a priority for me?  Is this only a good idea or something that I’m passionate about achieving? What could get in the way of me realizing my goal?

2.  Set benchmarks.  Recognize the path to realizing your goals involves many small steps.  It is important to balance focus on the end result with the effort necessary to move you toward your goal.  Plan out your path and acknowledge your progress as your reach each benchmark. 

3.  Believe and visualize. Do you know the story about the group of basketball players who spent one hour visualizing making baskets, while another group actually practiced? The visualizing players had better seasons! So visualize yourself in 2009 with all your goals achieved. What would that look like? How would it feel? Visualize once a day and see the difference it can make in your life.

4.  Accountability.  Have you ever talked yourself out of your goals?  As the gap between setting goals and commencing the work widens we often rationalize giving up our goals because “they really weren’t that important anyway.”  Narrow the gap by engaging the support of others.  Start by telling other people about your goals.  Ask a few trusted friends or associates to help you stay on track.  If your goal is fitness related you could hire a personal trainer or find a buddy to work out with – someone you can hold accountable too.  If your goal is professional development you could hire a professional coach or partner with a trusted coworker. 

Take charge of achieving your goals.  Commitment inspires action and action reinforces commitment.  

Make 2008 the year you realize your goals!