Today marks the kick-off of our Be, Do and Have More (of what you want) Goals Challenge.

So let’s get started.

Most of us fail to achieve our goals right here at the start line; so do not cheat. You need to actually do this exercise with a pen and a piece of paper.

We can all agree that effort and focus over time will work to move towards our goals, but what can we do short of pure willpower (that is sure to run out long before we hit the finish line) to help us sustain the effort?

 

 Choose the right goal.

 

We need to choose a goal that is important to us. Not a goal that is important to mom and dad, or your spouse or bf; not what your boss wants you to do or even what your doctor tells you what you should do. A goal that is important to YOU.  The really tough (and scary) part of this is – Chances are you have no clue what that is.

We spend so much of our lives doing what others expect or want from us that when we are given an opportunity to say what we want, sometimes the best we can do is parrot what we’ve been told we should want.

Step one in this discovery process is generating a Dream List.

Our Pick Four Workbook says:

 “Without censoring yourself in any way (in terms of practicality, time, approval, etc.). make a list of anything you think you’d like to be, do or have. Anything! The list should have dozens of entries – more than fifty if you can. If you’ve ever dreamed of running a corporation, running a marathon or running for mayor, put it on the list. Wait a day and then go back and add even more to the list. Hold nothing back. You don’t ever need to show this list to anyone. It’s important that you totally exhaust your dream list and go all the way to your list of notions or hunches.”

That is our assignment for the week. The whole week! Think about it, dream on it, discuss it with your friends if you like, but in the end, YOU MUST WRITE THEM DOWN.

We all will have some simple straight forward goals, for example I want to lose 12lbs. Simple goals are good, write them down. But reach as well. You know that thing you have always wanted to be, do or have that you’ve never told anyone because they would laugh or tell you that it’s impossible – be brave and write it down.

This is the challenge: To overcome the fear long enough to actually list 50 of your dream goals on paper.

I’ve started this exercise and it is not as easy as I would have thought.

The first dozen things I’d like to do came pretty fast and easy, but really what percentage of your dreams should be hiking, biking, skiing and kayaking adventures? Then came a long list of things I want to help other people do, help them get a good job, help them in or out of a situation etc. etc.  When the ideas slowed, I switched to things I’d like to have, and that got me a handful more.

All of this is for me is circling, writing down the easy goals, trying to ramp up the courage to name some things I want to be.

If you have trouble coming with 50, skip ahead to the balance pie chart in your workbook for some inspiration.
Career, Family, Financial, Mental, Physical, Social and Spiritual aspects of your life should all be considered when building your goals list.

Very few of us do enough to protect and improve our health. Unless you are one of that small minority that eats right and exercises regularly, perhaps you’ll want to list some health goals. Money affects every other aspect of our life so we should consider what money or career goals might make our other goals possible. 

You have already taken a big step towards achieving your goals. You’re here, you showed up at the starting line. This week you’ll make the first critical decision in our challenge. You will either choose to commit a little time and effort to some self discovery or you’ll blow it off. Again!