Tips & Insights for Top Performance » plan

A Four Step PLAN to Success (part 2)

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:50:14 +0000

A = Adjust

Assess your environment and decide what things you need to change. Your environment around you makes a difference in your ability to work towards and implement your goal. Look at what things in your environment could hold you back from your goals and what things in your environment can help you accomplish them. What do you need to add and what do you need to get rid of? Right now, actively make these changes so that your environment is ready to support you in accomplishing your resolution. (Your environment may include the following: relationships; feelings; thoughts; health; time; energy sources; personal space of home, office, or car; and other things that you surround yourself with.)

N = Network

Ensure that someone or something around you knows your goal and will help you measure your progress. There are many Web sites that help you track and assess your goals, including as http://www.goals.com or http://sparklepeople.com/index.asp. Many other online tools that are topic specific, like http://www.foodfacts.com/public/nm_community.cfm work well. Perhaps you are more comfortable building a support system: either find someone who knows you well and with whom you are comfortable designing how they can support you, or arrange for an accountability buddy with whom you are in “competition” as you both strive to meet your respective goals.

When you use the four P.L.A.N. steps (PREPARE, LIST, ADJUST, and NETWORK) to outline your goals, you are setting yourself up for success. It is challenging to change behavior and that is what New Year’s resolutions usually are about.^¹ But, when you are thorough and diligent about planning on the front end, you can almost guarantee results on the back end. Now, the only thing left to do is implement the PLAN! You can do it. Charge into 2010 and keep working on your PLAN.

1 COMMON RESOLUTIONS: Spend more time with family & friends; exercise more, lose weight or eat better; quit smoking; enjoy life more & have fun; quit drinking; get out of debt, stick to a budget, save or earn more money; learn something new; find a better job; help others; become a better person; be more patient at work and/or with others; get organized.

A Four Step PLAN to Success (part 1)

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:34:28 +0000

New Year’s resolutions, otherwise known as “good intentions,” are those things that are set at the beginning of the year when people feel they can wipe the slate clean and get a fresh start. It is said that 80% of all News Year’s resolutions fail. A survey conducted by Gail Kasper, LLC (www.gailkasper.com) finds that 51% of people don’t have New Year’s resolutions, and of those who do, 79% don’t have a plan to achieve them, leaving a small 9% of Americans serious about achieving their goals from the onset.

The truth is, resolutions can be accomplished. You just have to follow these four P.L.A.N. steps, and you can make your resolutions a success this year!

Simply follow the four-step P.L.A.N.:

P = Prepare

Visualize what you want. Sit down and really think through what it is that you want to accomplish. Plan with the end goal in mind.

Write your resolution/goal in the first person, as if it were already done.
Set a deadline of when you want it accomplished.
Write down the result of your accomplished goal and the reward you will give yourself when you meet it.
Now, walk backwards in your mind and write down at least three measurable mini-milestones. Do this so you can check your progress along the way. Prepare your mind and have a visual aid to keep in front of you so that you will be focused and committed in this next year.

L = List

Be clear about the commitment you are taking on and make some key lists to support your efforts.

What personal behaviors need to change to make this goal a reality?
What steps will you have to take to make it happen?
What are the barriers that might prevent you from accomplishing your goal?
What will you have to stop doing to make your goal a success?
What is in your control and what is out of your control? What can you do about each?
What are the “costs” you will have to pay to accomplish this resolution (e.g., if you are trying to lose weight, forfeiting potato chips)?
What are your strengths and weakness? How can you utilize them or watch out for them?

Review your lists to make sure you are really willing to pay the cost, are committed to changing your behavior, and are ready to do what it will take to follow the plan.

Goal Setting That Sticks!! (part 2)

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:36:16 +0000

3. Write goals in 1^st person, with emotion and as if they were complete. For example:

I have a balanced and peaceful life working 40 hours a week earning $100K in a field I love, AND have 3 quality hours each day to spend with my family in addition to feeling great because I am healthy (energy), fit (140lbs.) and having fun (weekly activity).
Accounting Solutions Inc. is proud to be the #1 leader in the Raleigh area to provide a one-stop for all small business accounting needs as evidenced by being the top choice for 40% of companies under 50 and servicing over 500 local companies. (December 2007)

4. Break it down and develop a plan. If you want to accomplish your goal, break down the yearly goal into monthly milestones. What will it take each month to move you closer to your goal? Each month, break it down into weekly goals. What will it take each week to accomplish your monthly goal? Each week, break it down into daily goals of what it will take to accomplish your week’s goal. While this may seem like a lot of work, it is simply creating a road map for you to follow straight to goal success. It is overwhelming and often difficult to see the measurable tasks that need to happen daily to make your goal happen. By breaking it down, you are able to push and make sure your goal is realistic and attainable.

5. Review daily. Post it in 3 spots where you can read it daily. Brian Tracey reports the single most effective thing you can do, though, is hand write your goal each day until it is done.

Why set goals?

increase in energy and excitement as you start moving toward your passions & goals
more powerful as you are making life happen rather then letting life happen to you.
greater focus and direction and greater purpose.

What are you aiming for today? What are you excited about? Where do you want to be heading? Craft your goal today!