CREATING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
There are a couple of sayings that are pertinent to your ability to achieve success in life, business and sport.
The first is,’ if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything’, and the second is the opposite ‘if you want to be all things to all people you will be nothing to no-one’.
Both of these sayings are designed to help you focus to achieve our goals.
One of the best metaphors I have heard used in coaching for advising and mentoring people achieve their goals in life is what I call the Success Rocket.
As we all know, a Rocket needs a number of components in order to achieve its destination.
Firstly, it needs a sharp, tapered point to enable it to be launched with impact, cut through the air and achieve its destination. Usually it is long, pointed and stands out like a vision or a goal in your plan.
The second component is the body of the Rocket. This houses the electronics, the guiding mechanism and the fuel to enable the Rocket to fly to its goal or destination. This is similar to your plan to achieve your goals in life. The criteria for your goal/s needs to be SMART just like a Rocket’s mechanism.
SMART meaning: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Sensitive.
Specific: Many of us set goals that are too general and vague and as a result we don’t commit to them and don’t achieve them. However, it takes courage to be specific because it means the alternative is coping with failing.
Measurable: Goals that are not measurable are hard to evaluate and as a result you never really know if you have achieved them. So make your goals measurable so you can gauge your measure of success.
Achievable: This is an important ingredient for setting your goal for if your goal is not achievable and just a hope then you will give in along the way when the going gets tough to achieve it.
Realistic: Goals that are not realistic are never achievable and are purely some whim or wish that has no sound basis or foundation for success. In fact, you will often give up along the way and say ‘what is the point of this’ unless your goals are realistic.
Time Sensitive: Goals that are not time sensitive are only ever achieved when you bump into them by mistake. A well known saying is ‘being successful in spite of yourself’. So if you want to be successful and achieve your goals, set a time, date and year for your goals to be achieved.
This SMART formula is probably one of the under rated ingredients in your Strategies for Success.
So, once your plan answers these 5 questions then it is more likely to be able to achieve your goal or goals.
The third major component of the Rocket is the fins that guide the Rocket’s flight.
These support the fuselage or body of the Rocket and enable the Rocket to be guided to its destination.
Like the buttress of a church, they metaphorically are the values that support the Rocket with such values being honesty, integrity, innovation, initiative, courage, commitment, resilience, focus and above all, passion.
So if you want to motivate yourself to achieve your goals, set about designing your own Success Rocket and give it a flight plan for success.
George D Norris
Corporate Coach/Speaker
Norris Management Pty Ltd.
E: norrismanagement@bigpond.com
www.norrismanagement.com.au