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Goals are meant to inspire you to change in a meaningful way, work hard and help you make the leap from where you are today to where you want to be in the future. Still, for years, my clients have talked about how year after year their goals don’t seem to change. Wanna know why? Because they’re not achieving them. Sound familiar?
Good news is that it’s an easy shift to craft goals that make you want to create your future instead of sitting in the oh-so-comfortable indentation on your couch.
If you were a fly on the wall, you’d hear something like this:
Mike : My goal is to exercise six days a week.
Alli : Great. What’s stopping you?
Mike : Well, I try. I get there a few days a week, sometimes even six. Then? Not so much.
Alli : Maybe it’s your goal that’s the problem, not you.
Mike : Tell me more.
What’s the problem with Mike’s goal? There’s only one major action step required. Get up, put on your exercise clothes, go. It just doesn’t motivate him enough to do it on a regular basis. In fact, he probably dreads it.
When you confuse a goal with an action step, it’s easy to become demotivated. Action steps you do – or not. Goals take time and a string of actions to accomplish – they’re rarely one and done.
Sure, maybe it’s too many times a week or his exercise of choice is not one that’s fun for him. There are lots of maybes, but one thing’s certain – He’s not doing it.
Ask Yourself the 25,000 Question about your goals
It’s time to ask Mike (and you!) the 25,000 question (actually, a couple of them).
It has to matter in a bigger, deeper, more personal way. So you want to write a book, start a blog, lose a billion pounds, get a new job… why does it matter? If you get it done, what will you have beyond the ability to cross it off your list?
Are SMART Goals all you need?
We’ve all heard of SMART Goals. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely). Makes sense because they work, however, it doesn’t necessarily make you want to leap out of bed. Practical? Yes. Inspiring? You tell me.
What are your WOW goals and NOW goals?
Let’s reframe goal setting this way:
WOW GOALS + NOW GOALS = Getting up off the couch and making sh*t happen.
WOW Goals are a part of a bigger story and call you to go all-in despite your excuses.
NOW Goals are the action steps (aka interim goals) to get you there . (Remember those SMART Goals? Transform them into action steps.)
Let’s go back to Mike.
Alli : Why does exercise matter?
Mike : My doctor says I need to get in better shape.
Alli : Why? So what if you don’t?
Mike : I could die. Are you nuts, lady?
Alli : Why does that matter?
Mike : My wife, kids, my life. I love them and don’t want to leave.
Alli : Now we’re getting somewhere. There’s a WOW goal in there. I hear it. Do you?
WOW speaks to you on a deeper level; it resonates and inspires. It makes those things you have to do NOW something that you want to do instead of wanting to avoid.
Related: 4 Secrets to Unleashing the Power of Your Next Stumble