Key Suggestions for Setting Dynamic Goals

Michael Hyatt is a leadership guru that I follow online. He is a former publishing executive who has been very successful in building an online marketing juggernaut from scratch.

Michael recently hosted a goal setting seminar that I found enlightening and motivating. Here are some key steps he suggested for making progress on your goals, including my take on each:

1. Believe You Can Win

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

You have got to have faith that whatever you are undertaking is right for you, your team, your clients and your organization. A couple of key thoughts here.

If you are not confident achieving this goal will be a positive experience for you, you will not give it the effort you should. Always be sure a goal serves your own “enlightened self-interest” and never hesitate to put yourself first when deciding to engage. The problem arises when your interests are not aligned with everyone else’s as well.

2. Get Past the Past

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons. – Jim Rohn

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t failed at something. I know I have. But don’t let yourself be limited by whatever fears that experience has left you with.

3. Set Specific Goals

I’m sure many of you have heard about S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results Oriented and Time Framed.

The two most critical aspects here are the Mom Test and the Client Test.

The Mom Test says that if you shared the goal you developed with your Mom or your Uncle Joe, they would get the gist of what you were saying. This is not about “dumbing it down”, it’s about clarity!

The Client Test says that if you asked the person, customer or team your work was intended to serve, they would get a big smile on their face and say, “Yes, that’s exactly what I want!”

4. Know Your “Why”

I have written about this in a previous post. Be very clear that your goals are in sync with your purpose in the organization or consistent with who you are as a person.

Knowing your Why and that of your role in the organization only creates greater alignment and focus!

5. Get Started Now

Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin. – Victor Kiam

There is never enough time to get everything done, but perfectionism and procrastination can derail any important task. Carve out time for the hard work of setting goals and just do it!

Many years ago, my mentor, Jim had a sign outside his office that said, “Make it happen – NOW!” This was way before Nike came on the scene and his point was always let’s do some planning, but let’s not let the planning be our goal by mistake.

There are no perfect plans for any important historical achievement. Get moving and we’ll eliminate the stuff that doesn’t work but KEEP MOVING.

You may not be able to see the end of the path, but the next few steps will become clear.

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Fortune Magazine has a brief section called The Best Advice I Ever Got. It’s always rather interesting.

Several years ago the contributor was Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair Disney Media Networks and President, Disney – ABC Television Group.

Anne mentioned that she and her family were strolling around the farmer’s market in San Francisco while on a long weekend. She then went on to say, “As I wandered by this one stall, I looked up and saw a piece of steel that had been etched with a quote. It asked, What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? It literally stopped me in my tracks”.

She mentions how she had always wanted to paint and even had the gift of art lessons from her husband, but she worried she wouldn’t really be any good.

But after that weekend she decided it was time:

…and I decided I would try and govern my life going forward under this principle. So now I paint. It might be good, it might not, but in the end, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that you experience it as if you could not fail. It speaks to big dreams, innovation, challenging yourself, and pushing to create what’s next. It’s the kind of advice that makes you take professional risks too. It’s something a lot of members of my team quote back to me.

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As you focus on your goals, ask yourself:

• Are you keeping Michael Hyatt’s 5 Goal Setting Goals in mind?
• Are you moving towards making your goals happen or stuck in developing the perfect goals?
• What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? What doors does that open for you?
• When your goals are ready, are you going to share them with everyone so you can get the help and support to make them a reality?

I look forward to your thoughts and comments.