The goal-setting season is approaching once more. In the past I've had a high resistance to setting New Year Resolutions. My success rate has been pretty poor: I made the mistake of setting woolly resolutions with 'just enough' motivation and no action plan. No surprise, then, that they were abandoned before Valentines Day.

This year I'm getting in early and setting my 2006 goals now! Furthermore, I'm going to use a more robust technique, one that has been proven to deliver results. And it's really easy!

In this edition:

1. Top tips for goal setting
2. Sorted! Goals that Stick
3. Your starter for eight
4. Pause for thought
5. How To ... Workshops for people who mean business

Top tips for goal setting

• Write them down. Yes, actually write them down!
• Share them with someone you trust.
• Set goals that are stretching but not over optimistic.
• Own the goal - if it's something you think you 'should' do, then you won't own it!
• Make them specific.
• Devise some fantastic rewards.
• Be accountable to someone else. This is very powerful; it's one of the reasons coaching works. We're more likely to do something if we've committed to someone else to do it.
• Review your goals.

By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.
Mark Victor Hansen
Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and The One Minute Millionaire

Sorted - Goals that stick

It you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal – not to people or things.
Albert Einstein

This is the formula I'm using to set both my personal and business goals for 2006. The key elements to successful goal achievement are:

Find the right words
Your goal needs to be very specific, not fluffy with big get-out clauses built in. So "This year I'm going to - lose weight/get fit/get a new job/decorate the sitting room/etc" doesn't cut it.

Use the SMARTER (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed, Exciting, Reward) technique to define your goal. "I will run 2 miles twice a week; by 17th February my time will be under 25 minutes" is a specific goal.

Now write it down somewhere where you can see it easily every day.

Commit
Your goal has to be something that you consider significant or important. The key word here is 'you'. Your commitment won't be high if you don't want it.

For example, if 'someone else' wants the sitting room decorated but you really don't mind the way it's been for the last 10 years, then it is unlikely to get done. By you at least!

One way to set a goal that you'll be truly committed to is to ensure that it's aligned to your values.

Goals are what people want and values are why they want them. Finding out about your values is one of the first tasks a coach will do with you. Find out more about values here.

Another way to increasse your commitment to a goal is to write down five reasons why you want to achieve it. If you can't, then adjust the goal to make it more exciting or desirable.

Finally rate your enthusiasm and commitment to achieving the goal on the scale of 1-10. If you can't get to over 8, then it's unlikely to happen.

Make it hard!
Yes, really - set a tough goal! Research shows that individuals gain a better outcome when facing a difficult goal, so long as they are highly committed at the outset.

So set yourself a goal that you're really excited about and then make it difficult. Now your goal looks like this: "I will run 3 miles twice a week; by 17th February my time will be under 36 minutes".

Talk about it
Choose a way to record your progress and make it visible. This could be sharing your goal and progress with someone you trust, keeping a written log or journal, a star chart or graph. The important factor is that you are getting regular feedback on your progress.

Reward yourself
Build in smaller milestones along the way and always reward yourself when you reach them. It's easier to stay motivated to complete the big goals if you succeed in meeting milestones along the way.

Plan it!
All of the above is not enough. The final element is making it happen. How exactly are you going to fit in two runs a week? When will you do it? Who needs to support you? What do you need to buy? What small steps do you need to take to achieve your goal?

Once you have moved into action, you'll feel more in control, more positive and motivated.

So are you itching to get started on your 2006 New Year Resolutions?

• If yes:

Have a look at Your starter for eight
Book a place on our workshop: How to set goals that stick
• If no:

What are you resisting? For example, working with my coach identified that my resistance to goal-setting centred around my value of independence, and in particular, flexibility and spontaneity. Setting goals felt like a straightjacket. I discovered how to set goals that allowed me to honour my need to be flexible and spontaneous.

So what are you resisting?

Your starter for eight

Start now.

• Write down a goal for 2006
• Make it SMARTER
• Find five reasons why you want your goal. Write them down.
• Plan time into your diary to write an action plan for your goal.
• Put dates in your diary to review your goal at least twice before Christmas and twice in January.
• Plan your course of action.
• Tell someone your goal. You can email me if you like!
• Plan a juicy reward.

Pause for thought

An Indian guide who displayed uncanny skills in navigating rugged mountains was asked, "What is your secret of being an expert tracker and trail-blazer?"

The guide answered: "There is no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go. Then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction."

How to .... Workshops for people who mean business

The art of saying no - Assertiveness skills at work
Thursday 17th November 2006

Understand the benefits of assertive behaviour. Learn how to say no, set boundaries, address concerns of not being liked and deal with fear or anxiety. Improve your personal effectivess at work by adopting a more positive and confident approach.

Price: Price £35.
Venue: The Abbey Hotel, Tintern
Time: 9.30am - 12 noon

How to set goals that stick - Effective goal setting
Thursday 8th December 2006

Get ahead for 2006, set your New Year Resolutions now! Learn how to set and achieve goals. You will set 'SMARTER' goals, write an action plan, and discover what 'barriers' are getting in your way. This workshop will motivate and inspire you to set goals that stick in your personal or professional life.

Price: Price £35.
Venue: The Abbey Hotel, Tintern
Time: 9.30 am - 12.30pm

Places are limited to 10 per workshop. Reserve your place by emailing sue@sortedcoaching.co.uk or call 01291 621985.

More information about all these workshops can be found on the Sorted Coaching website, Sorted Coaching Workshops

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