September 04, 2013
A Goal Isn’t Dynamic Until It’s Specific
We went to a business seminar this past weekend, my husband and I as well as our oldest son, and there were so many truths we gleaned from it. You see, we owned a business many years ago, but failed miserably, unfortunately, so we are investing in ourselves this time so it will not happen again. We want to learn from someone who has done what we want to accomplish. We believe the best way to get what someone else has is to learn from someone who has what you want. For example, if you want to be successful in business you go to a business seminar from someone with clients that have proven results. If you want a successful marriage, you go to a successfully married couple for advice and guidance and you follow it. If you want financial independence, you go to someone who is financially independent and learn from them and do what they do. If you want to know how to raise respectable, honorable children, you go to someone who is raising or has raised respectable, honorable children.
Same goes for how you look and feel. If you want to look and feel great, eat right, maybe you want killer abs…you go to someone who has them, you go to someone who looks and feels great, and who eats right; someone who has done it already and has been successful, someone who has the results you want. You don’t ask your co-worker or friend that is overweight and struggling, nor do you ask someone who is unhealthy and always complaining of their back hurting, their stomach hurting, they have a headache…. Find someone who has what you want and follow what they do, just as you would follow a recipe. If you want lemon merengue pie, you follow the recipe for lemon merengue pie. You get all the ingredients, don’t leave any out, and you follow the recipe exactly as it’s written.
Another key factor, after finding someone who has what you want, is not just saying I want to lose weight or I want to be fit. You have to be specific because a goal doesn’t become dynamic until it’s specific. Just saying ‘I want to lose weight’ is like saying ‘I want a million dollars.’ Well who doesn’t?? You have to answer the question who, what, when, where, and why? Why do you want a million dollars? What are you going to do with it? When do you want it by?...Why do you want to lose weight? What will it do for you? By when? How many pounds do you want to lose? What does that look like to you? Can you see it, do you feel it, and can you envision it? Unless you answer these questions, it’s like pissing in the wind. You have to make specific goals and know what you’re going after or else any little obstacle that gets in the way will throw you off and you’ll be down for the count. Oh, you may get up once or twice but eventually you will stumble and fall. Life throws obstacles at you, that’s a guarantee, and if you have specific goals you’ll be less likely to quit.
I just put this into practice with my son, the one who went with us to the seminar. This year I’m homeschooling him for the first time. He’s in 6th grade and we just started this week. Everything is going well, and we are getting accustomed to the routine. Now I know most people just don’t’ get it, they don’t understand why we are homeschooling and they say it’s just not for them, but put those feelings aside for just a second. My point is this….So far, he really likes it; he enjoys learning and is super smart. However, I also know that he is very competitive and likes a challenge, likes to have goals to work toward. So, we have talked about a goal of getting him 1 year ahead in the next 3 years. He has several reasons why he wants to do this and we have discussed it and will most likely discuss it again. We sat down and looked at the calendar and figured out how much work we would need to do to accomplish the goal by the end of the 3rd year. We have a specific goal, to be a grade level ahead in 3 years and we have a plan to make that happen and it’s doable. When we hit roadblocks or days he really doesn’t feel like doing the work, I’ll remind him of his goal and I’m sure he will push forward as he did today. It’s a holiday weekend which makes next week a shorter week, so he’s just doing a small amount of work to stay on track.
Same goes for a weight loss goal or even a fitness goal, you’ve got to make it specific and you have to have a plan in place. Follow the recipe, step by step, don’t leave anything out. Don’t say ‘I don’t feel like it today.’ Or ‘It’s too hard.’ Don’t skip step 5 because you think it doesn’t apply to you, or step 3 because you don’t like that one or step 2 because your friend tried it and it didn’t work for them. Follow the recipe! Follow the steps that have proven results for other people. Answer the questions-Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Once you know the answers to these questions, you’re sure to win the race. Remember, it’s not a sprint but a marathon. Hang in there, and when you get down remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. Stick with those who have had success and stay plugged in with them. Before you reach for that donut, or that Frappuccino, remember why and remember the steps! Before you skip out on working out for the 2nd or 3rd day in a row, remember why.
Here’s to your goals and mine! Xoxo, Alicia
**The business seminar was Dani Johnson’s First Steps to Success. We’ve been numerous times and have restored our marriage and our finances by taking action from what we’ve learned.
Another key factor, after finding someone who has what you want, is not just saying I want to lose weight or I want to be fit. You have to be specific because a goal doesn’t become dynamic until it’s specific. Just saying ‘I want to lose weight’ is like saying ‘I want a million dollars.’ Well who doesn’t?? You have to answer the question who, what, when, where, and why? Why do you want a million dollars? What are you going to do with it? When do you want it by?...Why do you want to lose weight? What will it do for you? By when? How many pounds do you want to lose? What does that look like to you? Can you see it, do you feel it, and can you envision it? Unless you answer these questions, it’s like pissing in the wind. You have to make specific goals and know what you’re going after or else any little obstacle that gets in the way will throw you off and you’ll be down for the count. Oh, you may get up once or twice but eventually you will stumble and fall. Life throws obstacles at you, that’s a guarantee, and if you have specific goals you’ll be less likely to quit.
I just put this into practice with my son, the one who went with us to the seminar. This year I’m homeschooling him for the first time. He’s in 6th grade and we just started this week. Everything is going well, and we are getting accustomed to the routine. Now I know most people just don’t’ get it, they don’t understand why we are homeschooling and they say it’s just not for them, but put those feelings aside for just a second. My point is this….So far, he really likes it; he enjoys learning and is super smart. However, I also know that he is very competitive and likes a challenge, likes to have goals to work toward. So, we have talked about a goal of getting him 1 year ahead in the next 3 years. He has several reasons why he wants to do this and we have discussed it and will most likely discuss it again. We sat down and looked at the calendar and figured out how much work we would need to do to accomplish the goal by the end of the 3rd year. We have a specific goal, to be a grade level ahead in 3 years and we have a plan to make that happen and it’s doable. When we hit roadblocks or days he really doesn’t feel like doing the work, I’ll remind him of his goal and I’m sure he will push forward as he did today. It’s a holiday weekend which makes next week a shorter week, so he’s just doing a small amount of work to stay on track.
Same goes for a weight loss goal or even a fitness goal, you’ve got to make it specific and you have to have a plan in place. Follow the recipe, step by step, don’t leave anything out. Don’t say ‘I don’t feel like it today.’ Or ‘It’s too hard.’ Don’t skip step 5 because you think it doesn’t apply to you, or step 3 because you don’t like that one or step 2 because your friend tried it and it didn’t work for them. Follow the recipe! Follow the steps that have proven results for other people. Answer the questions-Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Once you know the answers to these questions, you’re sure to win the race. Remember, it’s not a sprint but a marathon. Hang in there, and when you get down remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. Stick with those who have had success and stay plugged in with them. Before you reach for that donut, or that Frappuccino, remember why and remember the steps! Before you skip out on working out for the 2nd or 3rd day in a row, remember why.
Here’s to your goals and mine! Xoxo, Alicia
**The business seminar was Dani Johnson’s First Steps to Success. We’ve been numerous times and have restored our marriage and our finances by taking action from what we’ve learned.