Goals - got a lot on your mind? Write it down!

Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal. -- Elbert Hubbard

Most of us serve our ideals by fits and starts. The person who makes a success of living is one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That's dedication. -- Cecil B. DeMille

My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out. -- Ronald Reagan

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Can Putting Your Goals on Paper Give You an Edge? Absolutely.

Very few of us have clear, written goals. Those who write down their goals can accomplish more and stay focused easier than those who don't. Here's a powerful formula for setting and achieving goals that you'll be able to use right away.

First, make a decision about what you really want. Write down a description of what it would look like when you achieve it. Be as detailed as possible, including things such as a timeline and as many actions as you can think of that would bring you to your desired goal. When you have a group of amorphous thoughts floating in your head, it is difficult to conceive of an action plan. However, the simple act of writing it down transforms the formless and ethereal idea into a concrete thing that exists outside of your mind.

Make a list of everything you can think of that you're going to have to do to achieve your goal. This is important. Even if you think of additional things later on, just add them to the list. Let your pen write down anything at all that you can possibly think of that will help you get what you want.

Don't edit or correct it at this stage. Keep writing until you feel as if you've gotten everything out of your mind and onto the paper. A list gives you a visual picture of the larger task or objective. It gives you a path to follow.

Now, organize your list into an actionable plan. Prioritize your list into a logical order. What should you do first? Next? Continue and rough out an estimate for the approximate amount of time each task will take to complete.

Using the loose timeline as a guide, set a deadline. You can be as flexible as you want with the deadline, adjusting it as necessary as you progress; but you need one. A goal without a deadline may as well be a dream or even a fantasy. Setting a reasonable deadline will keep you on track.

Finally, take action. Do something from your list. Once you begin to execute your plan you will be amazed at how easily things fall into place for you. Try to do one thing from your plan's list every day. Add it as a task to your calendar and, as you accomplish each item, cross it off your list. Each time you put a line through an item you are one step closer to your goal.

This technique, which I use with my clients, is a great way to not only define your goals but to reach them.

© New York Executive Coaching 2008

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Growth is change.

Change can be uncomfortable.

Grow anyway.

Deborah Avery

New York Executive Coaching, LLC

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Great Leaders Manage Energy, Not Just Production

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming. -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Celebrate what you want to see more of. -- Thomas J. Peters

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. -- John Quincy Adams

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. -- Kenneth Blanchard

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Attitudes and emotions are as contagious as germs, and one of your primary functions is to manage their transmission. The people who work for you pick up on your moods and often reflect that in their performance. Have you ever had the experience of a boss or manager briskly walking into the office, no greeting to others except for maybe a grunt, and then head straight for his office, slamming the door behind him? What does that do to the mood of others in the workplace? What message does that send?

The people who work for you and report to you take their cues from you. Your emotions and how you choose to project them influence everyone on your team. Studies show that when business leaders are in a good mood, those who work with them have more positive experiences and report more satisfaction with their jobs. More satisfaction equates to more productivity and increased performance.

So, smile, say "Good morning," notice when members of your team are excelling, and comment favorably. Catch them doing something right and let them know you value their input. Your attitude sets the tone for the day. Think about it.

© New York Executive Coaching 2008

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Growth is change.

Change can be uncomfortable.

Grow anyway.

Deborah Avery

New York Executive Coaching, LLC

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Six Great Coaching Questions

Looking for answers? It helps to ask the right questions, the ones that bring you to the core of any issue and help propel you toward a solution.

In coaching I've discovered that the right question at the right time uncovers a world of possibility for the client. I'd like to share some with you.

You can use some of these questions on any challenge you are currently facing. Here are six powerful questions to get you started:

1. What could we work on that would make the biggest difference in your life?

2. What would you consider your three greatest strengths?

3. What are you doing well currently?

4. What could you be doing better?

5. What one thing could you begin to do right now that would make a difference?

6. How can you leverage each of your strengths to help you achieve your goal?

Try these on an issue facing you and generate some new possibilities for yourself. Let me know if you found these helpful.

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Growth is change.
Change can be uncomfortable.
Grow anyway.

Deborah Avery
New York Executive Coaching, LLC

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