My 7-Step, Goal-Setting Battle Plan

“In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it.”  –Robert Heinlein

“Of what use to make heroic vows of amendment  if the same old lawbreaker is to keep them?”  –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many people talk about the importance of goal setting when it comes to living a fitness lifestyle, but I believe that it’s just one step in the overall process. I’m going to give you a very valuable worksheet, but before we get to that I want to talk about something people often overlook when setting goals–putting your goals in writing.

Committing your goals to a piece of paper or a computer file is one of the best ways to manifest real action. As a permanent record of your intentions, written goals tend to be more thoroughly thought-out, more deeply desired and more actively worked on.

If you’re not serious enough to commit your goals to writing, you may as well kiss them goodbye. Life will get busy, you’ll get distracted and you’ll continue to get the results you’re getting now. (This is especially true when it comes to eating right, working out and getting in better shape.)

If you’re going to make a break to greater success, you have to take the time to decide what you want, get 100% committed to it and create a plan to make it happen.

My 7-step goal-setting process will help you think through, clarify and achieve worthwhile goals. Depending on your current life situation, the goals you choose might be huge, or they might be relatively modest. Ideally, your goals should be aggressive enough to be meaningful, but also realistic enough so you can accomplish them in relatively short order.

“Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, and then providence moves too. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”     –Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Start achieving your goals now with my 7-step, goal-setting worksheet:

Step 1: List three goals (not two, not four, but three!)

Write down three goals, big or small, that you’d like to accomplish. If appropriate, designate a deadline by which you will accomplish each one.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 2: Write down a benefit statement for each goal

What will you get out of achieving your goals? Go deep and think about how achieving your goal will impact your family, friendships, career, health, etc.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 3: Identify obstacles

Every hero has dragons to slay. What are yours? Write down some of the obstacles you think you might encounter on the way to accomplishing your goals. Write down everything you can think of.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 4: Create a strategy

Here’s where you get to think about how you’ll overcome each of the obstacles you’re about to face. Get creative, and write down as many strategies as you can.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 5: Recruit your army

Support from friends, colleagues, associates, experts and/or family members is essential for making positive change. It’s powerful for two reasons. First of all, going public with your plan makes it more difficult to blow it off. Secondly, getting support helps you stay focused and disciplined. A wise man used to tell me, “You’re only committed to what you confess.” Write down the people who will help keep you accountable and support you in your efforts.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 6: Set up a victory party

How will you reward yourself when you achieve your goals? And, just as important, what will happen if you don’t achieve your goals?

The inner satisfaction of accomplishing a difficult task is sometimes the single greatest reward. But it’s also motivating to establish an external reward system, an incentive you give to yourself–such as a vacation or some new clothing.

If one of your goals is an ongoing one, like making 10 sales contacts per day or exercising five times per week, then pick a random date (one month from now, 90 days from now, etc.) to celebrate your progress.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Step 7: Pick the day you declare war

The final step is committing to an official start date for each of your goals. Will you start today? Next Monday? Make sure you’re prepared…but don’t delay!

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2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­