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Goal keepers

by Patricia Bowmer

For the past three years Sally has been planning to complete and publish her first novel, but something always gets in the way. She’s busy – she has two children, works part-time and spends two afternoons a week doing volunteer work. On a recent Tuesday evening, waiting in line at a supermarket to pay for groceries, Sally had a sinking feeling that she’d never finish her novel. That’s when she sought the services of a life coach.

Our big goals are often the most difficult, requiring great time and effort if they’re to be achieved. How do we remain focused on them within the demands of daily life?

Ask yourself: What’s the big goal right now? Is it publishing your first novel, like Sally? Buying a flat? Getting an MBA?

By declaring your key personal goal you’ll be more likely to achieve it. But remember, people are often overwhelmed by a big goal, so waste no time in breaking it down into bite-sized chunks. Put a target date on each chunk. Build in some easy first chunks to get your momentum going and build confidence so you’ve got what it takes to achieve the bigger goal.

If your goal involves changing careers, decide whether you need retraining quickly so you can’t use a lack of skills as an excuse not to move forward.

Monitor your progress by writing dates for weekly feedback meetings in your diary. Follow through on feedback even if you feel you’ve accomplished nothing. If you haven’t done what you set out to do, you can change your chunks and timing rather than give up your goal completely.

Watch for roadblocks you may unconsciously build.

Sometimes the universe comes to your aid – a publishing company seeks out a new writer and offers them a contract, or a friend calls and tells you about a great flat for sale.

Build your self-belief by noting the times you’ve succeeded in the past and by giving yourself lots of chances to succeed early on.

It’s easier to follow a welltrodden trail than it is to carve out a new one. Find some heroes; talk to people who’ve achieved what you’re setting out to achieve. Learn from their experiences in designing your plans.

Achieving big goals can mean giving up things you enjoy. Buying a flat? Instead of being free to move on a whim, now you’re going to have to plan more carefully. Becoming a famous author? You might be travelling a lot to promote your new book.

If you find yourself stalling, try asking yourself what you’ll have to give up if you achieve your big goal.

The list of things that can distract you from your key goals – such as groceries, children, friends, birthdays, work deadlines – is endless. Build in time each week – or at least each month – to work on your key life goal.

Don’t try to achieve someone else’s goal. Maybe your father is really the one who wants you to get an MBA. If it’s not your goal, it will be hard to persist. Goals that align with your core values and ambitions will flow more easily.

Time is a limiting factor. If you’re overloaded with responsibilities, you’ll either have to reduce your load or focus on your goal at a more appropriate time. It feels better to decide to postpone a goal than to have it postponed by default.

You can hit the bullseye by declaring it, breaking it down, monitoring your progress, and steering clear of roadblocks.

Patricia Bowmer is a member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (info@coachinghk.org)