December is a wonderful time to review the year gone by and plan the year ahead.
Before we can plan, we need to get clear on our Dreams and our Goals. Once we are clear and have them written down and placed in a prominent place to be viewed on a daily basis, we can make a step by step, month by month, quarter by quarter plan to achieve them.
STOP
How about during our review, we ask ourselves “Why am I not already achieving my goals? What is holding me back?”. And then list everything you can think of that is preventing you from being there already.
Look into the mirror and face the possibility that it is your own fears and doubts that are your biggest constraints to your success… And the ability to accurately identify what these are, so that you can focus your energy on alleviating them! The 2 main obstacles to success are:
- Fear of failure, poverty, loss, embarrassment or rejection holds most people back from even trying in the first place
- Self-doubt (closely aligned to fear). By comparing ourselves unfavourably to others, thinking they are somehow better and more capable, we feel inadequate to the challenges of achieving our goals.
You can learn to conquer these 2 negative emotions by using courage and confidence, by growing your knowledge and skill. Think about when you did something for the first time, such as driving a car or snow skiing – you were probably erratic and a danger to yourself and others! And yet over time, you could become competent at either. You can do the same in achieving your goals.
So when you are clear on the obstacles that are holding you back, and have drilled down by asking yourself “What else is the problem?”, you can rewrite your obstacle into a goal. For instance, “I don’t use my time effectively during the work day,” can become “I will improve my daily productivity by monitoring my activity, ensuring I prioritise and focus on actions that move me towards my goals”.
If you aren’t sure about how accurate or clear your obstacles are, you won’t be able to solve the problem. Talk to your coach. Put your ego aside and get true feedback. This can speed up your chances of achieving your goals in 2014. Remember, if you want a different result, you need to take different actions.
