A Dose of Inspiration

2009, A New Year full of New Possibilities! For those of you who are saying “Wow, how did January pass me by so quickly?”, and wondering when exactly your New Year’s resolutions flew out the window of time, I am here to tell you that it’s not too late. It has been my experience that goals remain unachieved mostly because a clear outline of their attainment was never created. That's where the Goal Setting Staircase TM model that I created is useful.

As I tell the kids in my Esteem Team Speaking Engagements: you have to picture your goal as being at the top of the staircase with you looking up from the bottom (so the bottom of your staircase is today). The trick is to write a small goal on each step of the staircase, breaking down these steps as much as possible into tasks you can do today, tomorrow and the next day, each with their own ‘due date’. With each step, you will be one little bit closer to achieving your goal.

Now, the neat thing is that if you plan this out with the greatest attention to detail, your staircase starts feeling like an escalator; as one step moves effortlessly to the next without any extra energy expenditure. That’s when you know your pathway is the right one - when things seem to flow together. This is what I call the Goal Setting Escalator TM, and it is essentially what Liz and I have used to plan out every step on our journey to 2012.

Now, I’m not meaning to imply that there won’t be any speed bumps along the way - of course perseverance is essential. But if you set out a good plan, and focus on your goals, the whole journey is made a lot easier. Your steps might change along the way, but at least you have a path to follow and, most importantly, a goal you can achieve today! Are you ready to take the first step? We are . . .