We all need a little push here and there and it is all too often that we pour so much of our energy into those we mentor, we forget we need some encouragement ourselves. So while I am self-motivating, I will also pour into you.
We have lived to see another year begin and many people have created personal and professional goals they intend on accomplishing. Before you reflect on yours, I ask that you stop and focus on the first two letters of GOAL; “GO“. You can’t get to goal without “GO” and nothing great will happen without action. You must put movement behind your words if you want to accomplish anything. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say “I want to go back to school, have a family, travel the world, etc.” I’d be writing this post from my vacation home in Paris! (SUR LE PARC MONCEAU to be exact). Look, there is no time like the present to start doing what you wish you could do and stop doing what you wish you weren’t.
Start by writing down your goal(s) and then write down a plan of action; notice I said write down. When you write down your goals, objectives, timelines, etc., it is easier to achieve them. Once you see it, you can believe it and believing you can do something is a crucial element to accomplishing it. Without an action plan you won’t know where to start and you certainly won’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Keep in mind during the process you will need to go back and reflect on your progress (this will boost motivation) and you may need to make adjustments along the way as life always tends to throw a curve ball when we least expect it. I realize life is something we cannot control, but what we can control is how we react to it. Keep your focus and revisit your action plan as needed to make adjustments accordingly but I implore you to never lose sight of the goal.
If you are not sure where to start, I have devised a few recommendations to help you begin thinking:
GO– Travel to a place you’ve always wanted to go but never made the time.
GO– Tell the person you love how you really feel.
GO– Apologize to someone and make amends to heal a broken relationship.
GO– Take that job offer; even if you are scared you might fail. You may surprise yourself!
GO– Start a new business or invest in a new project.
GO– Back to school or take up learning a new language.
Your goal may be to walk 30 minutes a day or something as great as running for Congress (we need all the help we can get these days!) Whatever it is you desire to attain, it must first begin with you. Where there is a will, there is a way. Set yourself up for success now while you have the chance.
Larry Bossidy wrote in his book Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done “The heart of execution lies in the three core processes: the people process, the strategy process, and the operations process.”
The first of these is “the people”; that’s you! Anything that is to be done starts with you and you can’t spell done without using “DO“.
As for me; I’ve always wanted to write a book but never made the time. Chapter One begins now!
Wishing you all the best,
Mary V. Davids
Mary V. Davids is the Founder and Managing Member of D&M Consulting Services, LLC. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management. Mary has over a decade of experience in cultivating employee engagement, enhancing employee motivation and workplace performance, leadership coaching and training & development. She also serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the South Florida Chapter of the National Association of African American’s in Human Resources. Book Mary to speak at your next event or hire Mary for leadership & professional development consultation today. Follow Mary on twitter @MVDavids.
This is great advice!
Hi Mary, nice post. I needed a little push to get me moving again.
I’m glad I could give a nudge to a superstar! 🙂