The Design Lounge

Turning Goals into Action Plans

Setting SMART goals is a great starting point in achieving anything.   But what happens beyond that?   How do you get from setting goals to actually attaining them?  Here are a few practical tips that will help:

Take massive action
Setting your goals is only the beginning of your journey.   Avoid the temptation to be so satisfied with setting them that you do not take much action to make them a reality.

Many people will tell you that goal setting does not work.  The reality is often that they failed to act on their goals.  Taking action is the only thing that will ultimately determine the success or failure of your goals.   After writing them, focus on achieving them by doing the things that you set out in the goals.

Persevere
Sometimes in setting goals we are too optimistic or just not knowledgeable enough of the conditions and resistance we will encounter in trying to achieve our goals. At such times it is important to persevere despite the obstacles being faced.

Perseverance has a way of solving things and making things easier as time goes on. The key is to never give up. Nothing succeeds like perseverance.

Refer to your written goals often
It is common to find that after setting SMART goals they are then tucked away somewhere, only to be referred to at the end of the year when it is time to set new goals. In the meantime as the year goes on you lose sight of what your goals were in the first place.

It is important to write your goals somewhere you can see them often and can refer to them easily. Make it a habit to take a look at your goals regularly – daily, weekly or at the least monthly, depending on your circumstances.

Constantly remind yourself of your goals. That way your mind will be focused on achieving them.

Feedback and adjust
As you work on your goals it is important to assess your progress periodically.  Use these assessments to guide you in two ways.

Firstly, you may find that your actions towards achieving your goal might need adjustment. It could be that you need to take more action.  If you are not meeting your sales goal of 10 sales a week, for example, it could be that you need to adjust your action from seeing 30 prospects a week to seeing 40 in order t meet your sales goal.

Secondly, you may find that your goal was not realistic to start with. You may need to adjust it in order to come up with a more attainable goal.  For instance, it may be better to reduce your sales goal from 10 to 7  sales a week given that 30 prospects is the maximum you can see with the time and resources available to you.

Set SMARTER goals
SMARTER is simply an extension of the SMART acronym. It simply expands on the acronym to be of more help in setting SMART goals.

The E usually stands for Extending or Exciting. This means that you set goals that extend you beyond your comfort zone and that are also exciting. A challenging goal is more likely to inspire and excite you than one which is easily achieved.

The second R usually stands for Rewarding. If you can see the reward after you achieve your goal you will work harder to achieve it. Sometimes achieving the goal is reward enough in itself. But if your goal does not have an obvious reward, or if the reward is not so exciting, it is possible to decide to reward yourself in another way if you achieve your goal.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight you could decide that when you do reach that goal you will buy yourself a beautiful outfit to go with your new figure.  That alternative reward will also help you to stay focused and energised.

Get yourself a coach
A life coach can act as your personal cheerleader, helping you to stay on track and to focus on your goals.

We all need a helping hand every now and then in setting SMART goals and achieving them. With a certified coach you will get exceptional tools and methods to help you attain the things you want in life.

REF: Cornerstone Executive & Life Coaching LTD