After years of setting goals, talking about goals, helping others achieve goals, and achieving many of my own goals, I’ve decided that we have been focusing on the WRONG thing.
It’s really NOT about the goal. What matters most is the PROCESS that you create and follow to achieve the goal. If you have an unsustainable process like working all the time without breaks until you meet your goal, you may achieve your goal, but at what cost? And what if you don’t achieve your goal?
The key is to map out a process that nurtures you, supports you and moves you closer to your goal. The process should include a good balance of what you need each day to feel great and fuel your efforts with positivity and confidence. These activities could include exercise, meditation, going to lunch with a friend, talking a walk with a family member, walking the dog, and eating nutritious foods. Business development activities could include forging new strategic relationships, joining a professional group, writing an article, creating a new offering, reaching out to past clients, or volunteering for a cause you love.
Another critical component is to DETACH from the outcome. This can be especially difficult for folks who like to see fast results or who expect each action to yield a measurable return. Achieving a business goal can take time and you must be willing to make the investment in your actions without judgment. And trust that the process is working.
If you adopt a sustainable process, you will see where you may need to shift and change course. You will also see opportunities that you would never see if you were narrowly focused on the goal. And if you operate in a fear-based mode from a place of exhaustion and judgment, your vision is quite limited and your results may be compromised.
The great news is that if you maintain your focus on your sustainable process each day, you will likely achieve your goal. The goal is just the outcome of taking consistent action over time.
Developing a sustainable process can be great fun and once you know what you need, you can use it to achieve any goal. Below are a few thoughts via video. Happy New Year!