9 steps to achieving your goals in 2017

How to turn vision and goals into action and results with nine easy steps

You’ve got an inspirational vision but nothing will happen if it just stays a vision, you need to action – a critical part of leadership.

Step one

If it’s an annual goal put in quarterly stepping stones/measures. It’s too easy to leave an annual goal to later, you need to get started now. These are likely to be goals in terms of achievement e.g. earned £10,000

Step two

Put in place tactics to achieve these quarterly targets with deadlines within the quarter. By week four I will have got 20 prospects and submitted 4 proposals

Step three

Put in place strategies to help when things go wrong or you are in a challenging situation. For example, if I don’t make the phone calls I plan in a day I will always do first the next day. This could be helped by technology, for example, having a macro which puts missed calls to the top of your 'to do' list for the following day

Step four

If the goal is appropriate, identify useful habits to develop and then do them for a month to make them into a habit, for example, I always use the checklist to ensure I undertake the task in the most efficient manner

Step five

Surround yourself with useful support. If you want to achieve more research indicates that having an image of a runner winning a race will improve your results. Keep focused with your drawing of what you want to achieve (find out more here).

Step six

Find ways to prompt you to do what you need to achieve your goals. For example it might be a timer that bleeps to remind you to start phoning or stop doing social media. This will make it easier so that you do not always have to think about the decision and doing what takes you forward, it becomes instinctive - habits can be helped by prompts as well.

Step seven

Track what you achieve against your plan each week so that if you miss a target it is only a week to make up so you don’t fall too far behind. You will be tracking against the goals and targets in step one and the tactics in step two and reviewing what has worked so that you can adjust as necessary.

Step eight

Get two nice books. Once becomes your gratitude diary- each night write down five things you are grateful for that have happened in the day.This will make you happier the next day and if you do it consistently for three weeks research shows it will increase your happiness significantly for the next six months. Why is this important - well research shows that people in a happy state of mind achieve things up to 50% quicker, are more creative and resilient and live longer i.e. you'll achieve your goals more

The second book is also to be completed daily - each night write down what you want to achieve the next day - not a to do list it might be something like 'enjoy meeting..' and then the next night record what has been achieved. Again research shows you will achieve more, certainly it works for me.

Step nine

Recognise that achieving goals and visions inevitably involves change and that can be challenging so get help if you need it, that's why we have an aspiration achiever. Successful people get a support team around them, a coach, technical support, all the support they need.

There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others

George Shinn

Here are some blogs about change:

Showing people can change - the power of nature and belief – how anyone can change

How understanding people is critical to business success – creating change in others to help achieve your goals

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