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6 Reasons Why Setting Goals Doesn't Work
You're frustrated. You dutifully follow Goal Setting 101 advice, but it still seems that you lose sight of what you want and how you'll get it. See if any of these common goal setting mistakes - and how to correct them - are behind your...
Goal Setting Secrets of the Real Life Indiana Jones
Remember when you were 15? Can you recall some of the dreams you had then? How many have you accomplished?
My reflection on that is what attracted me so strongly to the story of John Goddard, of whom the LA Times called, "The real life...
Prerequisite Qualities For Optimum Goal Setting
The minute you set a goal, you are creating a 'mini crisis' in your mind. You're telling your mind about a journey you are considering. In simple terms you are stating where you want to be in relation to where you are. And in between these two is a...
Setting and Achieving Milestone Fitness Goals Promotes Healthy Living
(ARA) – Too many people sign up for exercise programs only to quit after a few sessions. The most popular excuses include, “I don’t have time,” “I’m too tired,” and “It’s not working for me.”
“Rather than just saying you’ll go to the gym a few...
Using PMS/GPS – The Productivity Management System™ For Goal Planning And Setting
"When I am willing to take a chance on me, do whatever it takes, thank those who have helped me along the way, and remember to pat myself on the back once the goal has been reached, I am fulfilled” – Heidi Richards
In 1979, Harvard Business...
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PRACTICAL GOAL SETTING
PRACTICAL GOAL SETTING or PLAYING WITH YOUR RAS
I'll not bore you with the details or claim to be an expert in
the area but there is a part of your body that you should be
particularly interested in - your RAS.
This is your Reticular Activating System which is located in the
upper brain stem and continues into the lower part of the
cerebral cortex.
I do know that the brain is in my head somewhere and not some
other part of my body which was often suggested when I was
younger!
So why is your RAS important to goal setting? Well your RAS can
be considered as a 'watchdog' that arouses the cortex of the
brain when relevant sensory information needs to be acted upon.
We set goals with the intention of achieving them so it seems
reasonable that we might need to act to take advantage of
something that might help us achieve our goal.
Remember the arcade game in the 80's called Frogger (an
appropriate metaphor as the RAS is believed to be part of our
reptilian brain!). The GOAL of the game was to get to the other
side of the road, using lily pads to make progress across the
river and to avoid transport on the roads. Whilst we knew the
objective we could not plan the route in advance - we had to
react to the opportunity of lilies and the potential misfortune
of lorries and cars as we progressed towards our goal.
Programming our RAS is a set-it and forget-it approach to
achieving goals. If our RAS knows what to look for it will
prompt us into action when an event that will lead us to our
goal passes through our awareness. Hey - getting things done
doesn't have to be a slog anymore!.
I use three techniques to get my clients well on the way to
achieving their goals:
1. Thinking Outcomes 2. SMART Goals 3. Time line
To think outcomes use the following translation table to get out
of problem frame thinking. A problem frame is the unproductive
'worry' place that we can often find ourselves.
Click here for
the Problem Frame vs. Outcome Frame table.
When firmly in an outcome frame start putting together SMART
goals. A SMART goal is a goal that is the following:
1. Specific and Simple
2. Measurable and Meaningful 3.
Achievable and worded as-if now 4. Realistic and
responsible/ecological 5. Timed and towards what you want
In determining the SMART goal be clear that there are no reasons
for sticking with what you have. In NLP we call these +ve by
products and they will scupper your plans if you do not work
with them.
An example of your SMART goal might be:
"It is July 2006 and I am meeting with potential partners with a
view to them reselling my product. They are interested and keen
to understand more and I am confident with the answers that I
provide"
Now break the end goal down into less than 6 smaller
intermediate goals that you will achieve along the way. Word all
these as SMART goals. Write them and the end goal down on
separate sheets of paper.
For me this is the powerful bit. Lay down a line on the floor
(in your imagination or a physical marker such as string or tape
measure) that represents time and place each of your goals on
the line with the end goal the furthest away.
Now walk your future. Visit each of the goals one by one. Take
time to fully experience having them - question what you will
see, hear and feel. Look at how close the next step is. Take a
look back at the progress you have made - revel in the
achievement - notice how good it feels.
Keep walking up and down your line and know that each time you
do so you train your RAS to know the things that are important
to you so that it can call you into action when an opportunity
for progress comes by.
Refresh this every now and then by all means and in particular
run through it before you go to bed. AND trust that one of your
most basic parts of your body is going to take care of your
future for you.
Have fun in getting what you want!
About the author:
Mark Spall is a Coach and Leadership trainer and delivers his
materials through a variety of innovative mediums. More on Mark
can be found at www.markspall.co.uk . Mark
is the founder of the Agile Leader Network (www.agile-leader.com ), a
knowledge base and support network for young people who wish to
achieve their best in their care
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