OMG, did you wake up today and realize it is December?\u00a0 Where did the year go and what\u00a0 can I still accomplish as the clock counts down to 2018?\u00a0 One of the interesting things about time is that it does not stand still for anyone.\u00a0 If you have goals and plans but then look up and find that time has passed and nothing has changed maybe you should review the reasons you wanted to achieve those goals or plans.
\nIt is natural if you are working towards a massive goal to not see an immediate result.\u00a0 However, you should see massive actions towards the goal and not the same activity you were doing before you started.\u00a0 I am going to give you an exercise you can do with yourself, peers, direct reports or even your children to understand being more effective.\u00a0 If you will answer these for yourself or with an accountability partner you will find that December can be a great month for a reason other than Christmas Day.\u00a0 You will also have a chance to finally make that big move in 2018 that you secretly have wanted and no one knows about.\u00a0 You know the goal you keep to yourself because you do not want others to squash it and make you feel it will not happen?\u00a0 Yeah, that goal.
\nHere are the questions.\u00a0 Imagine it as we are talking or have someone ask you these to help you through the process.\u00a0 It is important that if you have someone work with you they only ask questions.\u00a0 They are not allowed to give you advice or solve your problems.\u00a0 If you want someone to fix things for you this is not the exercise you need.\u00a0 If that is the case just act like a 39 year old in denial and never have another birthday.\u00a0 Trust me, this is a very powerful tool and can make a great impact for you personally and as a leader an organization.\u00a0 You will also be able to use it to help others.
\nQuestion 1, What is on your mind?
\nYou walk into my office and ask to talk with me regarding your goals and obstacles that are concerning you.\u00a0 All I ask is, \u201cwhat is on your mind?\u201d\u00a0 Answer this to yourself or if working with another person have them ask this and then just listen.
\nQuestion 2, And what else?
\nNow that you gave me the first thing on your mind let\u2019s dig a little and make sure we have everything on the table.\u00a0 Keep repeating this question without feedback other than stating, \u201cI see and what else?\u201d\u00a0 Once you get to the point where there is truly nothing else on your mind then we can move to question 3.
\nQuestion 3, What is the real challenge hear for you?\u00a0 Why?
\nNow that we have everything on the table and we are looking at all of the thoughts in your mind, question 3 will be where we analyze what is the real problem.\u00a0 It is important too not rush this step but also do not second guess yourself.\u00a0 If you have been honest to this point and did not hold back what is on your mind you can now figure out what is the real problem for you with this particular issue.
\nQuestion 4, What does success look like for you?
\nNow we know what is on your mind and which item is the true hang-up.\u00a0 Plus we know what the challenge is for you and I promise it is not what you were telling yourself before you started this exercise.\u00a0 Now define what success looks like.\u00a0 If you cannot picture what success will look like then how will you ever know if you are on the right path or have arrived?
\nQuestion 5, What could you do to get there?
\nThis is where I feel most people fall short.\u00a0 When you set large BHAG type goals it can be overwhelming and you have no idea how you would actually reach the goal.\u00a0 Then you do not start because the goal seems so far out of reach.\u00a0 Especially when time had passed and you begin to question if you set the right goal to begin with.\u00a0 What could you do to get there?\u00a0 Ask yourself this question with the thought of today.\u00a0 What can I do today, right now even, that would move me closer to achieving my goal?\u00a0 Focus on what you do have the ability to do and not what you are worried about not knowing yet.
\nQuestion 6, How can I help?
\nYou have to let me know or your accountability partner know exactly what you would need to help you stay the course.\u00a0 An example in my life was asking a friend to be my accountability partner to give me the extra commitment to do each day what I had promised myself I would finally do.\u00a0 For me I just needed to have someone else I had promised so I could not break that commitment even if I wanted to back out on myself.\u00a0 Other times I have asked him just to talk something out with me so I could get my thoughts out in the open and figure out a problem I did not understand.\u00a0 Again I want to warn, do not let your accountably partner answer this question, you have to tell them how they can help not them tell you what they will do to help you.
\nQuestion 7, What are you committing to?
\nWhat are you committing to, is very important and where you need to write it down.\u00a0 Post it everywhere and talk about it often and with everyone.\u00a0 Post it on Facebook, Twitter or run an ad in the paper whatever you have to do to be fully committed.\u00a0 Not like a kamikaze pilot on his 24th mission but truly committed like burning your boat so you cannot retreat.
\nQuestion 8, If you are committing to this, what are you giving up?
\nLook we would all love to be great at everything and always help everyone.\u00a0 In reality, we only have so much capacity and if you want to be great it will require time and focus.\u00a0 If you are going to do a job that requires commitment it will mean something else has to give.\u00a0 It is important that you give up the right things and keep your priorities straight.\u00a0 For me it was getting up early each day and changing what I do.\u00a0 By starting my day earlier I have to go to bed earlier and that takes away my time to just sit, relax and be entertained.\u00a0 If you truly want to achieve your goals you have to give up something.
\nI hope you will take the time to do this exercise.\u00a0 It has been a blessing in my life and if you want to better understand how these questions work read \u201cThe Coaching Habit\u201d by Michael Bungay Stanier.
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OMG, did you wake up today and realize it is December?\u00a0 Where did the year go and what\u00a0 can I still accomplish as the clock counts down to 2018?\u00a0 One of the interesting things about time is that it does not stand still for anyone.\u00a0 If you have goals and plans but then look up …<\/p>\n