subject: Setting and Achieving Goals, Getting it Done [print this page] Setting and Achieving Goals, Getting it Done
It seems that people are quite content to sit in a known 'comfort' zone, which is not usually that comfortable. Moving out into a new endeavor takes effort and facing the unknown. In physical activities, sports etc. there is a saying 'no pain, no gain'. It is similar when you are trying to reach any goal, the pain may not be physical but it is often there in the form of stress and worry. To win at anything takes effort and is seldom comfortable at first.
One of the things I had the two people do was to write down what their lives were currently about and what they did not like about it. Things like working 40 or more hours a week to make someone else rich, worrying about bills, not sure of retirement and so on came up. Then they wrote down what the outcome of their goal should be like. Whenever they started to slack off they would have to look at the two sides again.
Now I became their 'pain'. For the next month I phoned them every evening and ask what they had done towards reaching their goals. I was being a real pain in the ****. Just knowing that I would be calling them gave them some incentive to do things. Once in a while there would be a weak excuse, 'Ray I am tired tonight'. I can be mean task master, 'be tired on your own time, this is goal time'. They both told me that when I pushed them to complete something they actually felt more awake and ready to go when they finished the task. I have found this is usually true.
After a few weeks they both got into the routine and habit of working on their goals and it became easier. Apparently it takes about three weeks to form a habit. One of the things that people really need to learn when going into business for themselves is that they have to become their own boss.
The world now has another chiropractor and an arts and craft store. It was not always easy, plans had to be reviewed and changed, some upsets occurred. It was worth it.
