Goals! Gotta have them, right? We’ve heard make them S.M.A.R.T., and smart they should be (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Timebound).
The goal is overarching for the year and should be written with specificity! Zig Ziglar would compel us to be a “meaningful specific” instead of a “wandering generality!”
However, where most fail is with the plan. Is your plan smart? The plan is the goal broken down and should be just as specific (with some level of flexibility). Make your plan fireproof!
Frequent: Just like we discussed in the last post, eating, sleeping & waking are daily events. Strong habits and real change happens daily. Small daily activity! Be the steady stream of water on the mountain that carves rock! Build your plan into your daily routine! Plan to eat healthy, plan to go to bed at a certain time so you can hit and rock that gym!
Flexible: Pilots understand that the course (plan) may be a zig zag, but the destination (goal) stays the same. Similarly, you may have to alter course. Work trips keep you from the same gym? Look ahead for one at your hotel, or find a Greenway or college campus to get a run or walk in. Perhaps a child gets sick and pulls your daily routine off a little bit. Challenge yourself to some jumping jacks at home, incline pushups with your feet on the sofa and squats holding your kiddo! Whenever we had a later night with babies, I’d take my running shoes to work and wear my running shorts under my slacks to quickly grab a run at lunch.
Friends: Tell some trusted friends about your plan and ask them to check in on you! Be vulnerable. Face failure and learn from it.Extreme ownership of your plan will give you confidence and you’ll be amazed by the friends who keep you inspired (and I bet it’ll work both ways)!
Fresh: Work hard to stay on track with daily achievable bites! If you miss a day, don’t carry the baggage. Change what caused you to veer off course and get back to your plan. Keeping things fresh takes drag off of your energy. It’s like defragging your PC to run faster. Stay fresh daily!
igniting energy…tim
