Effective Goal-Setting Tip #3: What's Your Motivation?

Okay, let's get back to our discussion of practical goal-setting. As you may recall, we were talking about setting goals that build upon your strengths. (You do remember this, right?) Quick review: My take on SMART means setting goals that are based on Strengths, Motivation, Accountability, Relevance and Tenacity.

Let's talk about motivation.

The simple truth is, reaching your goals means changing your behavior. Doing more of this, less of that, trying something new. And make no mistake, modifying behavior is incredibly difficult work. It's so much easier to keep doing things the same old way. Not necessarily better but usually a whole lot easier.

That being said, if you really want - or need - to make some changes, you'll have to tap into some serious motivation. Why do things differently? Why push past the natural resistance to change? What's in it for you?

Here's how it might play out. Let's say your goal is to sit down to dinner with your family every night rather than working late and grabbing a Big Mac on the way home. To achieve this goal, you'll need to make some serious changes. You'll have to be more efficient with your time. You'll need to start saying no to 11th hour requests at the office. You'll have to delegate more often. You may have to wake up and begin your day an hour earlier each morning. All of this will take a lot of effort and planning. It won't be easy.

That's why motivation is so important. Ask yourself: What's the upside of making these changes? What's in it for me? Well, a warm dinner home with your family for starters. A chance to reconnect with your spouse and kids. More time, perhaps, to catch up on the day's headlines, flip through a magazine, go for an evening walk, toss the ball to Fido, jump on the treadmill for 20 minutes. The possibilities are endless.

And you know, when you think of it that way, the benefits really start to outweigh the challenges. You see the value. You push yourself to make it happen. You reach your goal.

It's all in finding the right motivation.

Until next time...

Liz