Be a resolute success in 7 easy steps!

Who is motivated on a long term basis by having a daily reminder of what we ‘should’ or ‘ought’ to be doing or not doing stuck on a fridge magnet? Not many of us. So, how can we increase our odds of success? Well most of us are motivated one way or another by an instinctive search for happiness. We hold the belief that we might find this if we lose weight, give up smoking, change our job etc. We might well be right but are we adopting the best approach to yield success? Possibly not. The good news is that there is plenty we can do to ensure our dreams become a reality at any time of year, if we go about it in the right way. Try this 7 Step Plan below for size.

Step One: You need a destination, so set yourself a SMART goal.

Specific – what exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable – how will you know when you have achieved it? What will the evidence be?
Achievable – try chopping a large goal into bite sized chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Realistic – is it possible to achieve within the timeframe you want, using your current or potential skills?
Time bound – set yourself a deadline with appropriate milestones along the way.

Step Two: Write down your goal in a positive way and try to phrase the outcome as if you had already achieved it. E.g. “It’s 1st August and I feel fantastic after submitting the tender.” There are a couple of reasons why you should do this. Firstly it will get you to visualise what success will look, feel, and sound like. This will increase your motivation and hunger to achieve your goal. Then comes the scientific part… Our subconscious is a great ally and will work hard to make happen the things we express in the present tense, as if they were already true. Research shows that our chances of achieving our goal are significantly increased by following this step.

Step Three: Consider what has stopped you from achieving your goal so far. Be tough with yourself. How many of these blocks are self-limiting beliefs or excuses? Most of us have a stash of these somewhere to draw on when we’re in danger of coming out of our comfort zone! If you are to achieve something worth having, it is going to take effort and commitment. Carry on doing the same things and you will get the same results.

Step Four: Make a list of all the things you COULD do to achieve your goal. Be brave! Step out of your current reality and do a bit of day dreaming. What would other people you admire do in this situation? What would be the most out-of-character action you could take to achieve your desired goal? Don’t worry, you’re not committing yourself to a string of crazy actions but simply being open to all possibilities. When you think you have exhausted your list of possible options, ask yourself for two more for luck.

Step Five: Next, consider carefully the pros and cons of each option you came up with in Step 4, including what help and support you would need for each. Now you are ready to identify your chosen course of action. You should feel excited by it and even possibly a little scared! That’s the stretch which will move you forward!

Step Six: Now write down the step by step actions which are going to move you towards achieving your goal. Make sure you can trace them back to your main goal and that each stage has a deadline. You might want to use the SMART guide again from Step One.

Step Seven: You now need to check out your level of commitment and enthusiasm for carrying out these actions! Try scoring them on a scale of 1-10 (1 = very low, 10 = very high). Anything less than a 7 and you need to retrace your steps to see where your block is. If you score 8 or above, ask yourself what would make it a 10 to squeeze out every opportunity to succeed!

Channel your energy into setting goals you really want to, and will, achieve at any time of year!