Mar

21

Not Another Goal Setting Article!

March 21, 2008 |

Another goal setting article, but with a twist. Actually, if I put on my coaching hat it becomes less of a twist and more of a personal development challenge. Are you game for that? OK, let’s begin.

Take a piece of paper and write the following information at the top. By way of example, I will use my own data as it was at the start of 2007:

Name: Mark McClure
Birthplace: Northern Ireland
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Occupation: Corporate employee (IT)
Success trigger: 1977
Goal: freedom business owner
Date: 1st June 2007

You should have no trouble completing the first four fields above. (Note that location refers to the current location you are living in.)

“Success trigger” - what’s that? Think of a time in your life when you were particularly successful. Perhaps at college or on the sports field or in the workplace. Whatever it is, the image in your mind’s eye should be a generally happy one, filled with surprise and astonishment that you pulled it off! And don’t worry if your success event doesn’t rate highly with anyone but yourself - it’s only necessary that you are very proud of it.

Now give this image a short name or label. In my example above, I used “1977″ to signify an event that happened 30 years ago in Limerick, Ireland. On that rainy overcast summer day (this is Ireland, remember!) a very nervous 16-year-old athlete lined up for the final of the Irish schools intermediate 400 meters hurdles. Going by previous race times, I was realistically expected to come fourth or fifth but I won the event, took nearly a second from my personal best time, and was deliriously happy for the rest of that summer!

30 years on, the memory of that day lives with me still — partly because it was my one true experience of running “in the zone”. (the zone being an almost transcendental peak state of experience where time appears to be irrelevant, and the pure joy of running itself was almost indescribable. Actually I’m struggling right now to find suitable words.) Now you might better understand why “1977″ triggers back such a powerful “can-do” feeling for me.

Anyway, the point of this search through the archives of your mind is that your own future success event (the goal) most likely will evoke some of the same feelings and emotions as the one you just selected from your past experience. When you start to think of a major goal you want to set and achieve, recall your success keyword from your past, and bask in the warmth that its memory brings with it.

Of course it will probably not be exactly the same but the essential elements of happiness, satisfaction and gratitude are likely to be in there somewhere. If they appear to be missing, then look at the goal from another perspective and notice if they are present. (This is where a trusted friend or even professional coach can add real value).

If you are patient with this approach, over time you should notice when similar “success” feelings and impressions arise spontaneously in the present, while you’re thinking of a day in the future when the goal will become a reality in your life.

Play around with different outcomes for the goal until a combination presents itself that feels right. In my case, a “freedom business owner” feels a whole lot closer to those wonderful days of 1977 than just being another “business owner”.

Last but not least, date your success-bio map with today’s date. And then read it out to yourself. As in: “My name is Mark McClure. I was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland etc”. It’s even more interesting if you look into a mirror when reading aloud — especially when you get to the “my goal is” part. Pay attention to how you feel at that point.

This can be a very powerful and inspiring exercise - and completed in 60 seconds or less. Try it and see for yourself!

Need help setting career or business or life goals but can’t afford an excellent coach?
Check out the Goal Setting Article Directory

http://www.goalcreationmaps.com

Mark McClure is a certified career & life coach and is probably writing another goal setting article ;-)

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