See Your Goals in 3-D

Have you ever been at a movie where everyone was wearing those goofy 3-D glasses? Everyone looked pretty silly, right? Well, think about when you were wearing those glasses. How concerned were you that people thought you looked silly? You probably were not, possibly because everyone looked equally ridiculous! Even more so, you were there to see what was on the screen and the glasses allowed you to view the picture in a three-dimensional view.

As you are reading this article, imagine yourself putting on 3-D glasses for your goals. Just like at the movie, as you look at the screen and not around at everyone else, focus your eyes on your goal and regardless of who is looking or saying your goal is silly, remain focused.

Your 3-D imaginary glasses will now become more useful. Use these three D’s to focus and accomplish your goals: Desire, Determination, and Delight.

DESIRE

• Want it! Make sure your goal is something you really want and something you can control. If you want your kids to be physicians, that is not your goal!
• Believe it! Have faith and confidence that you are capable of achieving your goal. Muhammad Ali never said, "One day I hope to be pretty good." He said, "I am the greatest!"
• Write it! This reinforces desire because it holds you accountable. It also helps you remember. Remember to date and track your progress. Seeing progress is exciting!

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The 1953 Yale Study
By Ben Cairns, M.A.

I take pride in the work that I do. Sharing reliable information gathered from an array of sources and synthes)ized in ways that create opportunities for people is important. In addition to reading traditional academic journals and texts, I get information from popular literature and from hearing and seeing speakers like Stephen Covey, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, and Anthony Robbins. One topic encountered frequently is the importance of goal setting.

As I prepared to lead a one-day workshop on goals, I was inspired by the information in front of me. So, I wrote out 100 of my own goals and created written plans for achieving the most important ones. Weeks before the workshop, several key goals were already accomplished, including one big one that I had expected would take me years to finish! My clearly defined goals opened up new areas of dialogue and discovery between my wife and me. Encouraged, I continued to do background research for the workshop.

One study that is widely referred to is the “1953 Yale University Study.” The reported result of the study was that only 3% of the Yale class of 1953 had specific written goals, and that 20 years later their income exceeded the aggregate income of the 97% who did not have written goals. I searched in several places for an original journal citation, and found nothing.

I asked two research librarians to help me out and that’s when I got a big surprise! There were also several thousand references to the 1953 study in articles published in mainstream magazines and professional journals around the world. There was not a single original source citation, but there was one online article at www.fastcompany.com that really got my attention. Their writer, Lawrence Tabak, also tried to find the original article. Mr. Tabak called the experts and, after finding nothing, contacted Yale University. The bottom line is that the “1953 Yale Study” does not exist!

I learned three key things from this experience. First, setting goals really makes a difference. I was able to achieve several breakthrough goals in a short time and get right on track for other important goals. I am a better person for it. Second, I learned that information that is passed around by enough people and experts becomes “true” if not questioned. That’s how damaging gossip gains momentum and believability. Third, I reaffirmed that my habit of confirming original sources is an important element of my professional credibility. I’m sorry that there is not a 1953 study with dramatic results, but I can tell you from personal experience that concentrating on setting and achieving goals can dramatically change your life for the better.

One Fell Swoop
By Vincent Ivan Phipps, B.S.

One fell swoop is an idiom that means to finish or quickly complete several tasks at once. Let’s say that accomplishing your goal normally takes five steps. You have completed steps one and two in order, and steps three through five were all done “in one fell swoop.”

So what is a “swoop”? How come there was only one? And why did it fall? Great questions! The word “fell” is not derived from “falling.” Instead, it comes from the word “felon,” meaning “cruel or “mean.” The “swoop” is a term describing how birds of prey, such as eagles, hawks, and falcons, attack (swoop) from above. This dive-bomb approach is usually successful the first time, hence the term, one fell swoop. This idiom was probably coined by a fisherman spending hours trying to catch a fish only to witness the awesome sight of an eagle scooping up a large trout in a matter of seconds!

While everyone is not as efficient as the eagle, there is still a lot we can learn! Like birds of prey:

1) Soar high.
2) Strike when opportunity presents itself.
3) Plan your target carefully, then move quickly.

Doing this will increase your ability to accomplish your goals in one fell swoop!

Setting Sail

If you have ever sailed you will remember the spray in your face and the exhilaration of moving swiftly through the water with the wind filling the huge sails. Imagine having the opportunity to be at the helm of a fast 60-footer, and just imagine the far-away places you could go!

Whenever you set sail it is important to know where you are going. It is hard to imagine setting sail without a purpose or without looking at what lies ahead. Yet, many people sail through life blindly. Those are the people who live without goals, plans or destinations. They are like so many boats simply taking advantage of the prevailing wind direction. They head wherever the wind blows. When the course we travel involves relationships, finances, or careers, going with the wind can be great or it can be disastrous. The direction is not yours to determine. It is the same as not having a map, destination, plan, or not being at the helm, looking to see what dangers lie ahead or what needs to be navigated. As Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up somewhere else!”

Having even a simple objective creates a completely different result. Christopher Columbus’ famous voyage began with a simple course of due West and destination India. His simple strategy yielded great results, although he ended up somewhere other than India!

Most voyages begin with a specific destination and planning sessions with maps and weather predictions so that the best course can be charted. Even a tiny boat can sail from England to New York harbor - it has been done! Sir Francis Chichester sailed alone around the world in 1966-67 in a 55-foot boat. In other areas of life people have accomplished amazing things with a goal and a plan.

When you set sail for your future, what kinds of plans and destinations do you have? If you are ambitious and specific, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve! Feel the spray on your face and take the rudder in your hand. Walt Disney said, “If you don’t have a dream, how can you have a dream come true?” Dare to dream what you want to become and do in your life, and set sail for your destiny. Where you end up depends on you.

Fall For Goals
By Beverly Inman-Ebel, CEO

Maybe it was all those years that I spent in school, or the break from the summer heat. For me, Autumn represents the perfect time for working on my goals. Notice I didn’t say setting goals, rather I focus on getting them.

Any student who merely sets goals at the beginning of the school year usually finds himself or herself so far behind that it is discouraging to put forth the effort to catch up. Fall is a traditional time for taking action – for getting goals.

So what does it take to accomplish your goal? It is important for me to keep it in front of me. I read it, say it, and see it every day. When I read, say, and see, it is easy to believe. Once I believe it is going to come to fruition, I get excited! All my decisions are now based with the goal in mind. As I make daily choices, I ask myself, “Is this getting me closer to my goal?”

My clients know that I am extremely results-oriented; it’s part of my highly dominant extroverted behavioral style. In order for me to reach my goal and still have a life at the finish line, I need to make sure my goal balances with my lifestyle choices. Because reaching goals may take more energy than maintaining them, some sacrifices are necessary – something has to give. I strive to see the obstacles beforehand and decide what I will give up and what is worth keeping. For me, family time, music, and exercise are definite keepers.

The tougher the goal, the more likely I am to share it with a select few. See, I don’t like to fail and if others know I am going after something, I feel a stronger obligation to succeed. I not only tell them, I ask them to bug me about it. Most people will stop asking about your progress if, after the first few times they ask, you have nothing to report. So, choose carefully.

Something that I have had to teach myself to do is enjoy the journey. I used to wait and celebrate after the entire goal was completed and I was usually disappointed and drained. Life is funny. Once I learned that joy is in the getting, not the having, I had more.

So this autumn, besides rooting for my favorite team while wearing that obnoxious color of orange, I’ll be getting my goals. How about you? Fall for goals and live your dreams.

Featured Service

Before your team begins to set their goals, call TLC to schedule a facilitated session. The time spent will be extremely productive, motivating, and will get you off to a great start. We can even coach the members along the way to ensure that each goal is on schedule. As a bonus, you’ll find your team communicating effectively! We can be reached at 1-888-BECAUSE. Why? Because you need to reach your goals!

Ask The Experts

Dear TLC,

I am bombarded with emails. I cannot get anything done because of the onslaught of electronic messages. I can’t live without email, but I’m starting to realize I can’t live with them either.
E-nough


Dear E,

Manage the time you spend with email. Discipline yourself to check your emails at certain times of the day, for instance at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Be sure to leave your most productive time free of e-mails. Create holding files for those e-mails that you cannot immediately respond to. If you have specific people who are copying you and you don’t feel this is necessary, communicate that to them. Finally, block the junk e-mails.

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