Reaching Your Goals – What Changes Do You Need to Make?

It’s normal to want things but do things that prevent us from getting what we want.

I want to get more sleep, but I lie in bed playing with my iPhone long after I should be asleep. I want to be in better shape, but I find every reason not to work out. I want to do more local work, but I don’t pursue work in Denver. Who in Colorado wants to hire me to speak or do some training? Ok, back on track.

To have something different, we need to do something different, and that often means giving something up. Letting go of a habit or pattern is challenging. There’s a reason we do what we do. Our habits provide something – comfort, distraction, fun, etc. If you’ve ever done a ropes course or graduated to a more challenging ski run, you know you need to let go of what feels secure to get to the next level. And letting go can be scary and difficult. But if we don’t let go, we get stuck where we are.

Make a list of things you want that you don’t have now. Perhaps you want to:

• Learn a new skill or take on a new responsibility at work
• Buy a house
• Save more money
• Be in better shape
• Pursue a hobby

Then I’d ask, what do I need to give up (a.k.a. stop doing) to have what I want?

You need to do something differently, or you would already have what you want. Doing something differently could be as simple as telling someone who can help you get what you want. We often tell our coworkers and friends what we want from our job, but we don’t always tell the people who can help us get those things.

If you want a different job, tell someone in your organization who can help you get what you want. Then create a plan with actions you’ll take – milestones, dates, and measurable outcomes – and follow up until you attain your goal.

Lastly, accept when you can’t get what you want from a person or organization, grieve, and then make a big change. If you have consistently pursued a role in your organization and in two or three years haven’t moved toward that goal, chances are you won’t get that job at that company. It’s likely you need to leave.

Choosing to leave is often the most difficult decision to make. We work and work on a relationship or situation, and eventually realize, we will never get what we want. That’s a very hard pill to swallow. But if you’re certain you won’t get what you want, despite your efforts, move on.

Five Steps to Reaching Your Goals – Ask Yourself:

What do I want that I don’t have now?

What do I need to give up in order to have what I want?

Have I made a request of the person/people who can help me get what I want?

Can the person/people I’ve asked for help assist me, and do they want to do so?

With persistence and consistency, can I get what I want from this situation, or is it time to move on?

To have something different, we have to do something different.

6 Steps to Advance Your Career with Communication and Courage

Companies want people who make things happen, and to make things happen, you have to speak up. Anticipating the train wreck and commenting after the train goes off the tracks, doesn’t count.

What if you said what you thought, in a way other people could hear you, when you had the right to do so? Meaning, you have the relationship with the other person to tell the truth and you’ve asked permission to be candid?

6 Courageous Steps to Advance Your Career:

1. Look for opportunities to make things better.
2. Ask for permission to take the ball and run with it.
3. Build relationships with other people who are making things happen.
4. Don’t say yes, when you mean no.
5. Find a way to say no, while engaging the other person in a conversation so a new approach is generated.
6. Be willing to go out on a limb, work hard, and fail.

Here’s how to speak up for change without being labeled as the problem person who finds flaws in everything:

1. Look for and present solutions, not just problems.
2. Offer to do the work to move towards a better way of doing things. Don’t drop problems at other people’s doors.
3. Ask questions versus overtly say that something is wrong. That could sound something like, “I’d love to help. Tell me more about how this works. Maybe we can insert a step to make the process better. What do you think of trying ________?” No one likes to be told they’re wrong. Asking questions elicits participation more than overtly saying, “This is broken. We need to fix it.”

Many people are afraid to speak up at work and believe that people who speak up get fired. I haven’t found this to be the case. People who work hard and produce results are typically the last people to be let go.

Say what you think in a way that is not critical. Offer solutions, not just problems. Be a force for good and take an active role in making things better, and my hunch is your career will accelerate faster than you ever thought possible.