Goal Setting - Ugh. Let's Try a Different Approach

t's that time of year when we begin to think about what we will do next year to improve our business and our life. Instead of setting goals like we have in the past, let's take a different approach. Let's focus on "actions."

What do I mean?

Everyone sets goals that they rarely achieve. People will say:

"I want to lose 50 pounds." Most people will gain weight.

"I want to be organized." Most people will search through piles of papers and stacks of files.

This is focusing on the wrong thing! We need to change our mindset to instead focus on the actions we take. Something you can control.

So instead, want to lose weight? Set a goal of walking every day at 6:00 am, Monday - Saturday for 45 minutes.

Want to lose weight faster? Set a goal of only eating one plate full of sensible food at each meal.

These goals (ACTIONS) are controllable 100% by you.

Want to be more organized?

This year, reduce your goals down to a handful of DAILY Actions you can control. NOT some pie-in-the-sky activities you will never accomplish.

1. Put away all of the papers on your desk at the end of each workday.

2. At the end of your workday, put your to-do list of post-it notes that are scattered on your desk onto one list that you can mark off as you accomplish a task.

3. Each day, choose a task that you do consistently and spend 1 hour documenting how you do it the right way. Schedule a time on your calendar daily and protect that time.

Each goal should be an Action you can take each day. Then score yourself and ask:

"Did I _______, ________, and __________ today?"

If the answer is yes, GREAT. Do it again tomorrow...and the next day...and the next...

If the answer is no, do better tomorrow.

Remember, taking action is the only thing that will turn your goals into an outcome you can control.

Don't wait until January to get started. Start now and build up some momentum for the new year. You will be miles ahead of your competition and ready to rock 2023.

Blogger - Deborah Miller | deb@deborahcmiller.com | Life Organizer Coach