Some thoughts on goals…

Today, January 1, the very first day of the year. A whole new set of 365 days. A brand new calendar. A fresh journal. A chance to clear the decks and start over. A marker on the calendar to start over; to say, "as of today, things are going to be different." 

So what are you going to do in 2012 that will make things change? What are you going to do this year that will take you where you need or want to be? Is the discomfort of where you are now great enough to cause you to overcome inertia and actually make the changes you want to make? What are you going to do to make sure that 2012 really will be different and not just get heaped on the pile of all those other years that have just flown by? 

Here are three keys to making goals that actually mean something and will stand a better chance of launching you forward instead of dragging you down.

1. Begin with the end in mind. A lesson from my ad agency days. Start at the end and work backwards. Where do you want to be, what do you want to be, who do you want to be on January 1, 2013? THAT'S where you begin to make your goals. Each of your goals should be able to answer the big WHY question. Why do you want to lose that weight or read those books or travel to that country? When you are clear on the why then achieving that goal has a better sense of purpose.

2. If it ain't written, it ain't real. In a past life I learned from an old ad agency guy that if it isn't written down someplace, then it doesn't really exist. So, write down your goals. Post them on your blog or your Facebook page or on your bathroom mirror but write them down. When you write them down it will have the effect of causing you to actually put your goal into words. There is something powerful about that exercise and tangible about making the transition from thoughts to written words. Additionally, when you write them down; others can read them. I'm not nearly as confident of reaching goals that I haven't told anyone about as I am those goals I've shouted out to others. It's just too easy not to reach for goals that no one knows anyone about but me. 

3. Scoreboard. Choose goals that you can actually measure so you know how you're doing. This is an old adage but it's true. "Become a better person" isn't nearly as strong a goal as "lose 20 pounds" or "read the complete works of Ernest Hemingway" or memorize Psalms 119." So choose something that you can measure. And remember in order to acheive one big goal you might have to set some smaller "sub-goals" that will take you to your big goal in steps.

Okay yeah, I admit, the fact that I've posted this on January 1 is a goal. I'm embarrassed at how long it's been since I've posted. And although I wanted to make a goal of "Blog more in 2012" that doesn't jive with number 3 above. So…here we go…because I want to be a better writer I need to write more, create more. So I will blog at least once per week for the year. That's at least 52 posts this year. 

(there…I think I answered the why question, told others about, wrote it down and made it measurable. Now all I have to do is pull it off!)