Three Critical Steps for Goal Attainment

(1) Have a vision, (2) create the structure, and (3) take strategic action!

It doesn’t matter if you apply these three critical goal attainment steps to:

your business,
your fitness goals, or
your relationship(s).

I’ve found that our subconscious (the part of our mind that rests beneath the surface of our conscious thoughts) either contributes to our success or hinders us. I’ll focus on the following three principles for each goal attainment step:

awareness,
intention, and
attention.

Step #1 – Have a vision – are you able to envision what you want to achieve?

Awareness– Does it seem realistic to you?

Intention– Is a part of you thinking it will never happen?

Attention– Are you addressing the details in your vision? Or is your vision blocked?

Sometimes a coach, mentor, personal/professional development book (podcast) or workshop can help you cultivate your vision. It is important, however, that the vision you develop remains yours. Otherwise you can find yourself achieving goals that are not really yours. This can lead to disillusionment and you will have to start anew.

Step #2 – Create the structure/plan – are you creating the structure necessary for your vision to unfold?

Awareness– Do you seem to get stuck or do you move forward with or without a plan?

Intention– Is your plan aligned with who you are? Your values, strengths, and skill sets? If not, it is difficult to implement your plan.

Attention– What can you do yourself and what requires support?

I’ve never met anyone who is good at everything… all of the time. We need help with our business plans. If we are being conscious, we can predict implementation snags that must be addressed. It is okay if you miss them the first time around. Just take a few steps back if needed. A plan that doesn’t work either needs to be abandoned, restructured or tasks need to be reassigned.

Step #3 – Take strategic action – a business plan is not only or always “just” about securing a loan from a bank. For that matter, a fitness goal or relationship goal also benefits from thinking through and writing down what you plan to do.

Awareness– Are you feeling afraid, confident, numb, overconfident, motivated, lost, or fully aligned (thoughts, feelings, and actions)? Take note- what we project isn’t always a reflection of what we truly feel.

Intention– Are your actions lining up with your goals? If not, then why not… did you skip some steps? It’s better to go back and build a solid foundation than to falter because you’ve either jumped too far ahead or you’re stuck in a holding pattern.

Attention– What are you doing right now toward your goals? That doesn’t mean you can’t focus your attention elsewhere; but you must ask if what you are doing is “fueling” you or “draining” you. There is such at thing as meaningful work and meaningful play. Ask yourself, “Is this action supporting me or sabotaging me?”

Any one who is successful in any area of life has achieved it through a combination of clarity, work, support, and perseverance. Sometimes success appears quickly. But in my experience there is a large amount of preparation necessary for the success that many seek.

Review these steps regularly and see how they impact your goal attainment! What goals are you working on right now?

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