“The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking”. ~Albert Einstein

Last time I talked about what I do when I don’t achieve a goal on time.  This happens quite often by the way.  I would say that I only achieve my goals exactly when I first wanted to get them done perhaps 40% of the time.  However, that doesn’t mean that I give up on my goals.  I am passionately committed to making my dreams become my waking reality!  Overall, I achieve something like 95% of my goals and the rest…well somewhere along the way of pursuing them I changed and I no longer wanted them.  That is also fine – I grew and things changed for me.

So, on to questions and goals that I didn’t get done exactly when I wanted them to happen.  (Please notice how I structure this sentence – I am presupposing that I will get this goal done – just my estimation of timing was off!)

Questions to ponder and answer when you don’t get a goal done on time:

First off: Honestly answer this question: Do you still want this goal?  You must really want it!  Assuming that you do then answer these questions:

  1. What stopped me from getting this goal done on time?
  2. Did I have a great plan for achieving this goal?
  3. What part of the plan was easy for me to do?
  4. What part of the plan was hard for me to do?
  5. Did something or collection of somethings stop me from following through on my plan?
  6. If something stopped me, how can I change this now or soon?
  7. Was I afraid of something…is there something about the goal itself that I am afraid of?
  8. Was I afraid of something…is there something about a step or steps along that way that I am afraid of?
  9. If I was afraid of something, what steps will I take to eliminate this fear or eliminate these fears?
  10. Did I model someone that had already achieved my goals and the steps that they took?
  11. Who else can I model…who else already has what I want and what did they do to get there?
  12. What do I believe about this goal; do I need to install some additional beliefs in myself to make achieving this goal easier?
  13. What do I believe about this goal; do I need to change some limiting beliefs in myself to make achieving this goal easier?
  14. Did I underestimate how much work it would require to achieve this goal? (My number one personal tendency!)
  15. Do I have a compelling enough set of reasons why for this goal…have I put down exciting reasons why I want to achieve this goal?
  16. Did I review my reasons why often enough to stay in touch with my source of motivation?
  17. What can I eliminate from my life, from my days and weeks, in order to free up more time to achieve this goal (and my other goals!)

By the way, this series of questions asked at the beginning of a goal setting session will give you a wonderful plan for achieving any goal!  These are powerful questions and they require significant effort to answer.  Also you may not know how to do some of the tasks that the questions will reveal as needed…together we will explore these techniques.

These questions also are the basis of my work with clients – who always hire me to achieve a goal or goals – and the basis of the book that I will be releasing later this year on the subject of goals and goal achieving.  May you find these questions illuminating!

Till next time…Jack

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again”? ~Winnie the Pooh