Happy New Year!
As January kicks off, are you making resolutions and setting goals to enhance your personal life or business achievements? We often start the year with great aspirations and the best intentions, yet sticking to the plan is a challenge. Life gets in the way.
Last year, I had two dreams which I committed to and I am so proud to say I achieved them both. It’s an amazing feeling, that I want everyone to experience, so let me share my positive approach to goal setting.
It starts with goal setting
A year ago, I decided to write a book. The idea had been in the back of my mind for several years. I’ve always loved reading and writing, I even sent a short story to a magazine when I was still at school in the hope of seeing it published. You could say this has been a life’s ambition.
What’s more, as a document specialist, I’ve recently helped a few clients format their manuscripts and prepare the layout for self-publishing on Amazon Kindle. So, I learnt a lot about the process and I had the desire, the question was whether I could make it a reality. Now, it’s easier than ever to self-publish, as your chances of becoming an author are no longer in the hands of the publishing companies.
So I committed to writing a book.
My other aspiration was to have a special holiday at the end of the year to mark my birthday. Trip-of-a-lifetime style.
The psychology of goal setting
A 2015 YouGov study discovered that being an author is one of the most desired professions in the UK. Many of us dream of having a book published, yet only a small percentage see their words in print. That’s because it is a huge project, involving research, idea development, formatting, design, editing and more. You are going to hit obstacles and you need to be in it for the long haul. Therefore, it isn’t simply a case of writing, you also need to address the psychology of goal setting.
To get into a positive mindset, I needed a plan!
Have you heard about the Baaden Meinhof phenomenon? It’s also known as the Frequency Illusion and I’m sure you would have experienced it. When you talk about a subject, write it down or read about it, you start to notice related things all around.
Our brains are constantly filtering information to avoid sensory or information overload. It happens automatically and when we set a goal and/or tell people about our goal, our brain has a cognitive bias for that information. So, we have a heightened awareness of relevant information and opportunities.
To make use of this goal setting psychology, I recorded my desired outcome in a journal and began working backwards to identify what I needed to do each day, week, month to reach those goals.
Bite-sized steps towards a goal
Breaking a goal down into bite-sized steps stops it from feeling overwhelming. I took it a stage further, with a daily note of 3 wins and 3 wills, some of which were tiny. However, this approach helped me to keep moving in the right direction and stay motivated. What’s more, if I didn’t get my 3 wills done, I avoided excuses or blame. I simply rolled them into the next day. It wasn’t a major setback but repeating the desired action until I made it happen kept me focused.
This approach helped me to maintain a positive mindset and get in the habit of doing something towards the goal each day. In addition, I consciously challenged negative thoughts when they popped up and engaged my great friend, Jacqui, coach at 2nd cup of tea, as an accountability buddy. She’s been a fantastic sounding board and supporter. At every bump in the path towards my goal, she simply asked: ‘OK, so what are you going to do about it?’, which helped me stay on track.
The added challenge
I specialise in Microsoft document creation and have made a business from knowing all the tools, techniques and shortcuts. For this reason, I was determined to create my book in Microsoft. There are many different tools available for creating and designing but I wanted to prove it can all be done in good old Word and PowerPoint.
I can honestly say that testing my abilities and knowledge to not only write and format, but also draw and design was a motivating factor for me.
A commitment to achieving my goals
I’m proud to say that after many years of thought, it has taken one year of commitment and action to turn my dream into reality. In December, I received the first printed manuscript of my book and I’ve just completed the self-publishing process, so it is now available to buy!
Dream & Commit covers the full process of achieving your goals, including:
- Motivations & Challenges
- Brain programming & Manifesting
- Planning & Persistence
- Overcoming Barriers & Resetting
- Accountability & Rewards
My book includes sections for you to write, sketch, plan and reflect. As such, you personalise it into your guide for achieving your goals. I feel an enormous sense of satisfaction to hold a copy of my book in my hands. I want you to experience the same sense of purpose and pride and I believe Dream & Commit can help you achieve your goals.
So, what about the second goal I made in January? Well, I saved hard and had the experience of a lifetime in Sri Lanka. Dreams can come true, you just need to commit.
