The goal setting article below is one I bring out from time to time because I always want to refresh myself on making my goals important and desirable.
I always have more fun going after them that way. I hope that you find the repetition beneficial also.
It is a great exercise to get the fires burning again when your motivation falls away, or you start putting important tasks off.
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I must admit, I work on this one at least once per quarter. (every three months) Some goals where I generate very little interest or sincerity, I will throw out and then I go after the ones that move me emotionally.
For those of you who have never read this article, there is a lot to digest here today, you might want to come back and do the exercise when you have scheduled a block of time.
Sell Yourself, Make Your Goals Important And Irresistible!
When I am discussing goals with people, some just haven’t got the idea. You really need to get leverage on yourself. Working towards what you want can be downright hard work. If you haven’t created the proper mindset, goals will be missed and your self image could take a negative hit.
Your goals should be so exciting and motivating that you almost can’t live without them.
Put everything in your favor when setting out for what you want.
So, during the conversation I might spit out, ‘Just SSERC yourself on your goals.’ Yeah, then I usually get the response. “What the heck did you say?” or I get a blank stare. Oh my God, now I’ve put them into a trance.
Well, this acronym stands for a set of terms you can use to sell yourself on the importance of the goals you have commited to.
It is your selling plan, or presentation you will make to yourself to explode you towards what you want. Salespeople do it to you all the time, you might as well take the advantage and consciously sell yourself.
Have you sold yourself on your goals? Do you want them with all your heart? Are you ready to do whatever it takes? Are you really commited to making it happen?
If you are already, then disregard all of the following, and you might as well not read further into this article. There is nothing more for you here.
But… if you aren’t taking the actions necessary to move forward and get what you want, then take a seat and read on.
SSERC stands for a great selling formula.
1. Summarize the situation.
2. State the idea.
3. Explain how it works.
4. Reinforce the key benefits.
5. Close the sale.
OK, let’s start this goal setting exercise. Choose a goal that you haven’t made much progress towards, if any so far.
Remember you are giving this sales presentation to yourself. Put some thought and effort into it. Let each point run smoothly into the next. Don’t prejudge this exercise, this stuff works if you work it!
Summarize the situation.
This is the ‘as is’ situation. Write down what you have now, or what you don’t have now, the good and the bad. I guess that there is really no good or bad, just what is. What you are happy with, and what you are not happy with. Your life as it stands today according to this one goal.
State the idea.
This stands for the particular goal you chose. The main idea that this specific goal represents. What does it mean to you, what’s your real reward for attaining this goal. This is what your idea of the future should be or could be once you have realized this goal and have it in your life. Write it down at this point.
Explain how it works.
This is your plan to attain your goal. What you are willing to do or give in return for getting what you want? What value will you create in return for your goal?
Write it all down in detail, outlining the price you will pay, the effort you will make. Write down what is preventing you from moving forward with it, and how you are going to overcome that.
Remember you are the salesperson selling this idea to yourself. Persist. Don’t take an excuse or a ‘no’ for an answer, press forward with how you are going to enjoy this goal once you have achieved it. Figure out how to make this very important sale!
Document all of the benefits you will receive from attaining this goal. Think deeply about what these would be, really spend some time on this. Write it all down, everything you need to organize to get what you are after.
Reinforce the key benefits.
Now there will usually be one or two overwhelming key benefits you will get from this. Something you care about deeply. If you don’t, then make something up. What could you care about deeply in this situation, if you wanted to care? What are the key benefits you will receive?
How can you make them visually big in your mind? How can you make them stand out above all the other little goals? How can you make this an obsession that you must work toward?
This is also the part where you document the downsides of not assertively and aggressively pursuing your goal. This is where you get to feel the pain and weight of the regret you would feel if you don’t follow through with your action plan.
All the negative experiences which will accrue to you if you let your goal go un-achieved. The pain and sorrow of taking the negative hit on your self image and esteem because you hadn’t the courage to force your way through to completion.
Come on, work with this until you’ve made it absolutely, positively impossible not to act on your plan! You have made yourself an offer you cannot refuse, and you must act on it!
Close the sale.
Make the commitment. Sign on the bottom line. Decide that you will rerun these benefits through your mind until such times as you have in your possession what you want, what you are after.
Now, if you wouldn’t sign an agreement with yourself that would commit you to your course of action, then you haven’t applied enough internal pressure or leverage to make the sale.
Go back to your goals and concentrate on your key benefits and key massive downsides and work yourself into the hungry state necessary to make this happen for you. This is too important not to follow through.
What do you have to say to yourself to persuade yourself to the point where there is no turning back; that you will persevere until you have paid the full asking price?
I know this is a big exercise and it does take some time to complete. For today, just get started. Starting is where all the power is anyway. A job started is a job half done.
Start selling yourself today, and then keep selling yourself until you have what you want. Focus on the benefits. See yourself getting all the goodies, and talk about it all the time!
The people who quit on themselves before they achieved what they had set out to do; lost their focus, turned around and sold themselves on why they can’t or won’t get what they after by going through all the reasons why they shouldn’t succeed.
Stay positive and keep selling those benefits to yourself until you reach your goal . . . And then, go set another really big goal. Thoroughly enjoy your life.