The A in GOALS = Analyzed
Powerful goal setting for results means recognizing that challenges exist and will arise. One thing a business, life, or executive coach does is list the challenges before listing action steps. Whether with a coach or on your own now, as you consider your goals (developed through earlier posts in this blog series) answer this question: What are the potential barriers?
Through coaching hundreds of individuals over the years, I find some responses come up frequently and are true for many people. What is interesting is that often the very first answer to this question is: me. This does make sense – we all have tendencies that hold us back such as procrastination, taking on too much, lacking confidence, being easily distracted, or creating resistance. Beyond that common barriers include time, money, and knowledge. Continue asking this question: What are the potential barriers? Then ask: What else? Dig, dig, and dig on this question. By getting all of the potential barriers listed, you are empowered to face each one and plan how to move past it.
Of course after implementing a plan of action, unforeseen barriers may arise and so it is important to come back to the process of listing the barriers and then, with each barrier foreseen or unforeseen, ask the next question: How will you move past it?
When working with a coach, initially moving past each barrier is explored, and then moving past barriers is shifted to the whole approach of the action planning. Consider the benefit of this approach with a coach or here now – in the short term it means being prepared and in the long term it means focusing on planning and following through.
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