How do you get started on a long walk? You take the first step! Left foot then Right foot and "Your walking!" To make it fun and original you can do the Hokie Pokie "Put your left foot in, take your left foot out, shake it all about do the hokie pokie and turn yourself about "That's what it is all about" DOING IT!
Goals are projects, journey's or a series of them. The Goal is at the end of the Finish Line and usually brings some time of "pay-off reward". Put the steps in order, in writing and you have the Action Plan and something to record progress and use for the reflective evaluation.
Some helpful tips and WARNINGS of Mistakes are available all over the internet, in many books and from a consultant who can help you through the process.
The BIGGEST Mistake and the most common reason for delays and failures is that the goal set involves or depends on others. YOU SHOULD NOT make goals for other people!! Big rule for consultants, you can suggest, LOUDLY and Often but until the person who has to walk the path CHOOSES to take steps toward THAT goal you cannot even effectively discuss the steps. They MUST identify and Want to take the steps and be committed and motivated by and toward that goal or else it will not go well.
One site I like for research and confirmation of my theories and plans is, Mind Tools.Com http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/goal-setting-mistakes.htm They have an article "Eight Common Goal-Setting Mistakes" Achieving your dreams the right way. And look at MISTAKE #5.
Mistake 5: Setting "Other People's Goals"
Some people – family, friends, or even your boss – may want to influence the goals you set. Perhaps they feel that they know what's best for you, or maybe they want you to take a certain path or do certain things.
Clearly, it's important that you have good relationships with these people, and you need to do what your boss asks, within reason.However, your goals need to be your own – not anybody Else's. So be politely assertive, and do what you want to do!
The deadliest threat to joy, productivity and even relationships are Expectations and one sneaky expectation is setting goals that involve other people or for other people. Your goals are for YOU and only YOU to do. Even when friends and family say "We will help you in anyway we can", BEWARE!! "any way" does not always include, "THAT"! and as tempting and sensible as it seems having friends and family sign a contract that is LEGALLY Binding is not really a good idea (unless it is after your birthday :) ha ha..
It is normal to need help with tasks or to find resources but whether you hire someone or use favors/volunteers, you have to ask if the person is interested in specific tasks and willing to do them your way. ***If you don't know how to do something and you and they will have to learn it together take care to realize everyone learns differently, different sources say different things and you need to come together and share information and form the plan of action.
The Plan should: State what you need or want them to do and obtain commitment from them to do so. (allow them to discuss and suggest things then finalize the action)
The agreement to help is best considered a one-time thing and needs to have time limits.
Make sure to have good communication with the person to keep everything flowing.
When including people into YOU goal setting consider that their goal plans may come in conflict with yours and be ready and quick to communicate about the situation and evaluate what you are willing to change in YOUR plan to keep that person involved or prepare to work away from their participation in the plan so they can go toward their goals and you go toward yours. Separating on a plan or discussion SHOULD NOT be what ends a relationship, some like family relations and marriage or parent-child relationships are LIFE LONG and Complicated and cannot be ALL or Nothing. All plans should be adjustable, measurable and accountable (who is doing what). Good plans and sure steps can survive changes, adjustments and accelerations or delays. Whims, personal preference and expectation-fear driven exercises will not be easy to adapt, explain clearly like a plan, measure or evaluate and one change makes the whole situation come crashing down.
If you need help forming plans, evaluating established ones or acting on plans. Call me and we can sit down and write out YOUR GOALS, NEEDS, WANTS, Boundaries, limitations, schedule and see how to get you taking steps toward your goals.
"Where there is a WILL, there is a WAY"
Dot A. Wiggins, Uniquely Organized and Utilized
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