Help For Those Who Can't Get Started

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.  The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” - Mark Twain

For those of you who are old enough to remember, did you ever own a car that at times you had to get people to push you to just start it?  I did.  I had one car that I always parked on a hill so in the morning I had a downward start so I could pop the clutch and get it going.  Yes, I am really dating myself now.  The point is, sometimes we as people also need to get a push to get started on the things we need to do.

               

                Many people, even success-minded people, have a hard time just starting a project or task.  When it comes to moving toward achieving our goals, it is really a problem.  The desire is there; and once you start you really get going, it is just that first few steps that get you.  Not only is this a common problem, it has a common solution.

                The thing that holds many people back from achieving their dreams is that their goals are unclear and poorly planned.  Studies have shown that the people who have clear, planned and measurable goals are far more likely to achieve them and in a shorter amount of time than those who do not. 

                Setting a goal is more than making a list of what you want to do.  That is called a wish list and it is nothing more than words on paper.  Proper goal setting is the product of right thinking and deliberate action.  When it comes to setting goals that you know you will achieve you have got to be S.M.A.R.T.

S - Specific

                A goal needs to be specific and clear.  To say you want to go on vacation is not enough.  To make the goal powerful you have to say where and when you want that vacation.  To say you want a new job is a weak goal.  A strong goal is to say what kind of job you want, how much money you will make, and even more powerful is to know where you want to work.

                When you goals are clear and specific you have something that you can feel and see.  Write them down in detail and keep them handy for review.  As they become clearer, write a new version, only do not change the goal, just make it clearer.

M - Measurable

                One of the reasons that writing your goals out is so powerful is that it allows you to measure your progress.  When you review your goals (I suggest you do that no less than once a week) keep track of what you have done to move forward and then write out your next steps to keep moving.  Here is where a list can come in handy.  Not a wish list but a task list.  This is a list of what information you need, what steps do you need to take and who do you need to contact.  By measuring your progress you will give your goals the fire that powers you on when things get tough.

A - Achievable

                When setting a goal there is a balance between being reasonable and reaching for the impossible.  I believe that if you goal is not impossible for you to achieve that it is just too small.  Goals should make you reach and stretch.  However, when going for the impossible, remember the old saying of the U.S. Marine Corps, "The difficult we will do right now, the impossible will take a little while."

                Do not set a goal to build a billion dollar business in a year.  Just will not happen.  You are setting yourself us to fail and that is never good.  Nothing wrong with wanting to have a billion dollar business, just give it a time frame you can work in.  We will take more about time in a moment.  The point is to be reasonable in the time and ability to achieve a goal. 

R - Results-Focused

                Business leader and author, Stephen Covey said, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."  When you are striving to achieving a goal, keep that goal, not all the side issues, in focus.  Many people never achieve their goals because they are running down every rabbit trail they see.  This again is why you need to have you goals written out.  Ask yourself, "What am I trying to achieve?  What are the results I am looking for."  If you can answer that you are well on your way.  Those who cannot tell you what are the results they want will not know them when they come.

                Success-minded people know that it is not enough to just know what you want, you need to know how you want it, when you want it and why you want it.  Results do not just happen, they are deliberate, planned out and expected.  The achievement of a goal is not a surprise it is something you knew would come and what it would look like.

T - Time-Bound

                Author, Napoleon Hill said, "A goal is a dream with a timeline."  Indeed, a timeline makes all the difference.  Setting a timeline for you goals will do several things for you.  For one, it gives you a target to aim at.  If your goal is to be achieved in a year or five years, then you know what you are working with and can plan accordingly.  Second, it allows you to measure your progress.  If the goal was to be achieve in a month, you can look daily and see if you are on track for the goal.  It also, keeps you focused on what you need to do.  Without a timeline, what does it matter what you do today or tomorrow?  With a timeline you know what you must do today and what you must schedule for tomorrow.

                Your goals are far too important to just leave to chance.  You must be S.M.A.R.T. and go for them with all that is in your heart.  Remember the words of author and businessman, W. Clement Stone: "No matter how carefully you plan your goals they will never be more than pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto."

To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2013 John Patrick Hickey