I hope that yesterday's suggestion to get started, didn't overwhelm anyone just yet, although I'm sure that some of you are asking the question, "well where the heck are we going?".
Well, that's today's tip - establishing exactly where it is that we want to go and how we plan to get there.
Well, that's today's tip - establishing exactly where it is that we want to go and how we plan to get there.
TIP #2 - SET GOALS & MAKE A PLAN
I equate the making and execution of resolutions (herein goals) to taking a trip (hence the title of this series in case you were wondering), so buckle up and expect a lot of road trip analogies.
I equate the making and execution of resolutions (herein goals) to taking a trip (hence the title of this series in case you were wondering), so buckle up and expect a lot of road trip analogies.
I want to go on a trip. A road trip. I hear they're loads of fun. The United States sounds like a worthy destination for this example.
Go to Google Maps and try to get directions from Canada to the United States… [insert annoying buzzer sound here]… “We could not calculate directions between Canada and United States.” Bummer.
Well, I do know my starting point, so let’s try Nova Scotia to the United States… hey presto, results! We get 53 steps of directions to get from somewhere in the middle of Nova Scotia to somewhere in Kansas (the center of the U.S. of A. I presume).
But I really don’t want to go to Kansas (no offense Kansans – did you know they’re called Kansans?), I’ve heard New England is beautiful this time of year.
One last search… Nova Scotia to Massachusetts… 20 steps and it lands me a heck of a lot closer to a final destination. Now, the final destination might not be perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot closer than Kansas.
You get the point.
Go to Google Maps and try to get directions from Canada to the United States… [insert annoying buzzer sound here]… “We could not calculate directions between Canada and United States.” Bummer.
Well, I do know my starting point, so let’s try Nova Scotia to the United States… hey presto, results! We get 53 steps of directions to get from somewhere in the middle of Nova Scotia to somewhere in Kansas (the center of the U.S. of A. I presume).
But I really don’t want to go to Kansas (no offense Kansans – did you know they’re called Kansans?), I’ve heard New England is beautiful this time of year.
One last search… Nova Scotia to Massachusetts… 20 steps and it lands me a heck of a lot closer to a final destination. Now, the final destination might not be perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot closer than Kansas.
You get the point.
Take out the document that we started working on yesterday, I asked you to start by writing down what it is that you are looking to achieve. Now I need you to take that goal(s)… and get specific. Start to break it down into as many little bite-size chunks as you can. “I want to get in better shape”, “I want to lose weight”, “Eat better” are all too vague and general, leaving you clicking your heels all the way to Kansas, Dorothy.
“I want to be able to run up the stairs to my office without getting winded”, “I want to lose 5 pounds of body fat and fit into a size 10 dress” – now we’re talking about things we can measure and quantitatively observe. Once you have these objectives written down, your end point per se, you can start looking at the directions - what you are going to do and how you are going to change to make this become a reality.
“I want to be able to run up the stairs to my office without getting winded”, “I want to lose 5 pounds of body fat and fit into a size 10 dress” – now we’re talking about things we can measure and quantitatively observe. Once you have these objectives written down, your end point per se, you can start looking at the directions - what you are going to do and how you are going to change to make this become a reality.
There’s a great acronym that’s used for goal setting, it’s the S.M.A.R.T. acronym. If you’re interested in delving a little deeper into this part of your resolution, here’s a great read.
Now all this might seem like a lot of work to simply “make a resolution”, and if simply stating a resolution is what you want to do, then carry on as you were and I wish you all the best.
If you have the determination to take action on the decision that you have made (remember our definition of “resolution” from Day 1) then maybe a bit more work than previous attempts is warranted.
Come back tomorrow as I look at Tip #3, and we continue to look at what I feel are some essential inclusions in your plan to success.
Now all this might seem like a lot of work to simply “make a resolution”, and if simply stating a resolution is what you want to do, then carry on as you were and I wish you all the best.
If you have the determination to take action on the decision that you have made (remember our definition of “resolution” from Day 1) then maybe a bit more work than previous attempts is warranted.
Come back tomorrow as I look at Tip #3, and we continue to look at what I feel are some essential inclusions in your plan to success.
Please feel free to comment below, on my Facebook Page or on Twitter (#ResolutionRoadTrip).
RSS Feed
