Fusion Blog

I’ve always been a big goal setter but in recent years I have come to really appreciate the power of getting clear about what I want and the impact this has on my happiness and the things I achieve.

Last Easter I created a list of 101 goals I want to achieve in my life – my bucket list. It was a challenging process and I really had to dig deep to identify the things I want to do, be and have. But I didn’t give up and once I had completed the list I then created a Vision Book filled with pictures of my goals. It was a great process that I thoroughly recommend.

Just one month later I was teaching at our Leadership Mastery workshop and the participants asked me if I would bring in my Vision Book to share with them. So I brought my book in. It just so happened that it was also my birthday that day.

As I was flicking through the book showing the participants my goals, I came to the page where I had a picture of a Tiffany bracelet. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Just that morning I had been given a Tiffany bracelet for my birthday!

But what really blew me away was the fact that the person who had given me the bracelet had never seen my Vision Book and I had never shared my goals with them. What was even more “wow” was when I looked closely at the picture...it was the exact same Tiffany bracelet. Think about that for a moment….there are at least 152 silver Tiffany bracelets available and my friend had chosen the exact same one that was in my Vision Book. Spooky coincidence or not?

Whether you want a new home, 100 new clients or that overseas trip, setting your goals and intention is very important. Will you achieve all of the goals you set? Some you will. Some you may not. But I know this…if you aim at nothing you will hit it with amazing accuracy.

Goal setting does require time and effort but in my experience it is well worth the reward. I’ve included below the top 7 reasons why we fail to achieve our goals.

1. Failing to spend the time to get the clarity you need
Take the time to get really specific and describe your goals in as much detail as possible. For example if your goal is to go on an overseas trip, where exactly will you go? For how long? Where will you stay? The devil is in the detail.
2. Failing to write the goals down
It’s great to know in your mind what you want but it’s so much more powerful to write your goals down. To measure your progress you need to be able to refer back to your goals.
3. Focusing only on one or two areas
Happiness comes from living a full and balanced life and therefore you need to have goals for all of the following 7 areas – finance, business / career, family / personal time, relationships, personal and spiritual development and community.
4. Being overly optimistic about what you can achieve
Most people underestimate how long things will take and therefore set themselves unrealistic expectations. Be realistic about the time required to achieve your goals.
5. Not chunking down
Success comes from consistent small steps that move you closer to your desired outcome. Break each goal down into the required tasks.
6. Not scheduling tasks
Once you have the list of tasks required you need to schedule time in your diary. If you don’t do this you will find that weeks and months pass without you completing the actions that will move you forward.
7. Not sharing
Life is a team sport and to achieve your goals you need help. Share your goals with your family, friends and team. Ask for the help you need and you will find that you get there much quicker.

Please ensure that you don’t make these mistakes. Take a few moments now to honestly answer these questions…

1. Have I taken the time to clearly determine what I want in 2011?

2. Have I written down my goals with as much detail as possible?

3. Do I have goals for every area of my life?

4. Have I been realistic about what I can achieve?

5. Have I broken my goals down into actionable steps?

6. Have I scheduled time in my diary to start working on them?

7. Who have I shared my goals with?

8. Have I asked for the help I need?

If you have done all of this, congratulations. If you haven’t then I encourage you to take action as soon as  possible to ensure that in 2011 you give yourself the best chance of success.

Complimentary VIP Ticket to The Business Masters Club
Join the Business Fusion mailing list at www.businessfusion.com.au and receive a complimentary VIP invitation to Anthea's next Business Masters Club workshop (valued at $135.00). The next Business Masters Club workshop is "The Business Success Plan" on Thursday 13th January 2010, 4.30pm - 7.30pm at The Function Centre, Technology Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.