One of the quotes I have heard that continues to ring loud in my ear is “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you will keep getting what you’ve been getting. The only way to not keep getting what you’ve been getting is to change what you are doing.
Have you ever wondered how many people actually base their decisions at election time on the platform of the candidate they vote for or simply to change who will be in office? I have. No political statement here, I think this way of thinking impacts both parties.
Here is the problem. These vote are not voting for something, they are actually voting against something. That something is the way things have been. Doing this is no more productive than rolling the dice. 50/50 chance right? So is a fifty percent chance good enough for you? I am sure most would answer am emphatic “NO!”
Let’s take a look at this from the personal perspective. How intentional are you about making changes in your life? I was working with a client recently who has a difficult challenge ahead of him. We sat down and went through the entire situation and game planned it out step by step, IN WRITING.
By the end of the session, the client had the clarity and self-confidence to tackle the challenge head on. This is what happens when there is intentionality added to the equation.
So let’s revisit something that I have talked about before when it come to change. When you plan to change something, it usually helps to have goals to do so. These goals should be SMART goals. Some of you already know about SMART goals so for you this is simply a reminder to make them SMART. If you don’t know about them, your are about to receive the golden ticket to success.
SPECIFIC
Make your goals specific. When you are very clear on what it is you are trying to change, you will have a much better chance to succeed. Be as specific as you can eve if it adds sub-goals to reach the desired outcome.
MEASURABLE
Make your goals measurable. If you can clearly identify whether or not you are accomplishing what you set out to do, you won’t get results you are looking for.
ATTAINABLE
Make sure that your desired change is realistic. If you plan it out step by step, you should be able to identify whether or not you can actually achieve it. The more you break it down, the easier it becomes to see if each step is doable or not.
RELEVANT
So often we simply desire change for the sake of change. Your goals should be relevant to achieving your purpose of following your passion. If the goal is not, you may want to questions why you are seeking it.
TIME BOUND
Set a specific date or time period to the change you are looking for. This not only creates accountability to the process but also allows you to measure progress along the way.
I think everyone is looking for some type of change in their life. So a simple question for you today friends:
“Are you tired of the results you’ve been getting? If you are, maybe it’s time to change what you’ve been doing. And if you are going to change, be SMART about it!”
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Barry Smith 7/5/13 photo by amazon © Building What Matters 2013
