From Goal Setting To Goal Getting
Show of hands, please; How many of you out there cringe when you
hear the phrase: New Year's Resolution? Or even better, do you
remember how you felt the last time someone asked you what your
2 year or 5 year plan was? What about "Where do you see yourself
in five years from now?"
I don't know about you, but it always makes me squirm. Seems
like no matter who you are, our goals in life, both long and
short are something we all have difficulties owning up to. And
this is what makes us squirm.
And when we do set goals for ourselves, regardless of our
preferred method of mapping it all out, a HUGE determining
factor in whether or not we achieve the end result we desire is
how we talk to ourself on an internal level.
For example... Let's say (seeing as how we just started a new
year and all) that you made a resolution to quit smoking, or
lose weight, or exercise more, whatever. Once you make that
goal, do you ever sit down and develop a strategy for how you
will attain the end-result you want? Can you close your eyes and
visualize what your life would be like once you achieved your
goal?
Most importantly, how do you FEEL about that goal? This is
really the crux of the matter folks, the first step in moving
from goal setting to goal getting is revamping (in some cases
eliminating) internal thoughts, and feelings that contradict the
goal you've set out to achieve.
If I choose to quit smoking, and I close my eyes and try and
visualize myself smoke-free, but the first thought that pops
into my head while I'm visualizing is "Yeah, but in order to get
there I'm going to end up losing half of my friends because I'm
so cranky when I don't smoke!"
What just happened? After telling myself through visualization
that I want to quit smoking, I immediately told myself to strike
that thought, forget it, because I don't want people to dislike
me.
Whenever you catch yourself having these thoughts, you need to
stop yourself, and say aloud "Forget that. I WILL do this." or
"Cancel! I WILL do this without putting an emotional strain on
my personal relationships."
It's terribly terribly crucial for you to learn to cut down on
negative self talk as much as possible, folks.
You can't get to your end-result if you keep telling yourself
there is a new obstacle every time you daydream about what it
will be like to live in your desired outcome!
That's probably the most difficult aspect of Goal Getting. The
second and final step is much easier:
Every morning when you get up, ask yourself one question: "What
will I do today to get closer to achieving my goal?" Answer that
question. Post the question on your bathroom mirror, or the
front of the coffee pot, do whatever you have to do to get that
message in front of you each and every morning you wake up.
Answer the question, and then do it.
So what have you learned? Hopefully by now you've realised:
* Goal Setting and Goal Getting Really Aren't That Different.
* The way you 'talk' to yourself is a determining factor in
whether or not you get what you want out of life...
And finally, you've realised that just as the title of this
article was fluff - and goal-setting and goal-getting CAN be the
same thing - Hopefully you realise in order to get your goals
ACTION MUST BE TAKEN... And choosing not to act is an action in
and of itself. Choosing to dwell on what-ifs and the worries of
how you will get there, is an ACTION, and not a productive one
either!
Think, Act, and Be Progressive with your dreams!