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“It’s not about the goals you set…It’s about learning to be the person who can achieve them” – Tony Robbins.

What Holds Us Back?

So, I’ve often wondered what holds people back from putting in their very best effort to reach their goals. Through some readings and conversations, I’ve come to realize that people don’t believe they can actually reach their goals. As a result, instead of setting goals and working to reach them, they:

• Make excuses
• Contemplate why and how they will fail
• Watch others achieve and think “That’s not who I am. I don’t fit that “model”

Guess what? I’ll bet the person you’re watching didn’t “fit the model” at some point in their life, either. After working hard, they become the model and you see their results, not their struggle. You can do it, just like they can.

A classic example is watching fit people at their gym. While I people-watch successful people at the gym all the time, I force myself to take on the attitude that if I run harder, lift more weights, I will one day look like them. Then, their success becomes your inspiration.

Don’t worry if you don’t look or feel like you belong.  If you work hard, and set realistic expectations, you will.

How Are High Achievers Setting Goals?

Have you tried setting goals before? It’s something I do every single year, on my birthday.  Yes, I love it that much!

So, how do high achievers set their goals? Well, basically they are really setting SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely and putting forth a plan to achieve then.  Recently, I’ve learned that there are two different streams of Goal Setting theory, and while I prefer the first one, you may prefer the second.

Two Types of Goal Setting

• 1) Set specific outcome goals   – Outcome goals are my favourite type. Basically, you set an outcome you want to reach, and then plan out a way to reach it.  Need help with goal setting?  Check out my post on outcome based goal setting here.

• 2) Set specific habit goals  –  Using this goal setting method, you simply choose a habit you want to develop – and stick to it. For example, you set up a plan to go to the gym and lift weights three times a week, you set up a plan to work on your artistic talents every Saturday afternoon, or to spend every Friday afternoon studying.

You have access to my free printables library, right? As soon as you sign up, I’ll send you my free goal setting template so you can get started setting your goals, too. Now, remember, my sheet is designed for goal setting type #1, but don’t let that stop you!  You can easily focus your goals on the habits, not the outcomes, and make the sheet work for you, too.

If She Can, You Can

So, I don’t know if you’ve heard of Maysoon Zaid, but I saw her amazing TED TALK for the first time last week. Actually, I loved it so much, that I’ve put together a lesson plan using her talk in my upcoming 25 TED Talk Lesson Plans e-book. Want to see a sample of a TED Talk Lesson plan in my book? Head over to my printables library and check out the one I wrote on Kang Lee’s TED TALK about kids who lie.

Have a lovely and productive Monday!

P.S. Photo fans, I took the picture for today’s post (and poster!) during my backpacking trip to Peru in 2010.