Going for the Goals

I'll admit it. I probably look a lot more proactive than I actually am. I mean, I can procrastinate with the best of them. I can plaster on a fake smile, report on only the good things, show pictures of sunsets and never talk about the storms, the sadness, the anxiety. And man, can I waste some time! One little dip into Facebook "just to check notifications" and next thing I know, I'm just scrolling away, watching silly videos and just like that an hour is gone. Gone! Never to be regained.

Borrowed from the internet.

I'm sure many of you are way ahead of me in the area of personal accountability and self-growth. I came to the table a little late. But you know, that really doesn't even matter. What matters is that I have decided to get in on the action and take responsibility for my personal development and growth. I'm taking Stephen Covey's 1st of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  seriously. I'm being proactive. That's the #1 habit of highly effective people and key to personal victory. I've been developing in this area, somewhat unintentionally, for a couple of years, but lately, it seems to be gaining a foothold. Here's a tip: the more intentional you are (proactive), the more results you'll get. You don't grow and realize your potential accidentally. 

Having said that, I am realizing some accidental growth of a type. What I mean is that I did not  decide to read Covey's  book on my own. It was assigned to me as part of a college class. But, and hear me here, one can read all the self help books in the world and not get the help the books are designed to give. What's the difference? Why do some get help and some don't? I believe it's wrapped up in the concept at hand: proactive behavior. I have chosen to take this book to heart and implement what I am learning. Hello, proactive choice!

I'm so determined to be the best I can be and live out what I teach that I have (of my own volition) acquired an accountability partner. Here's what we do: each week each of us establishes a list of goals and commitments for the week. We check in with each other 3 days a week and report on our progress. Neither is grading or judging the other or trying to motivate the other into action. We are simply checking in and reporting our progress. If we choose to, we can establish rewards and consequences (Note: if you decide to be consequence based in your own approach, I recommend having a goal that doesn't require perfection. That's not usually very effective anyway. You might say you have a goal to do something 5 days a week, but your consequence is based on allowing a day to be missed. Your reward might be based on 4/5 days (small reward) - all 5 days (better reward)) At any rate, we each decide what's most effective for us.

I also avail myself to life coaching. I speak to my coach once a week and go through what's happening in my life and where I'm experiencing frustration. She can hear things that I'm not picking up on. She asks me questions that help me examine what I said. She suggests exercises that help me see things I'm missing. It helps keep me sharp and alert. It flushes out my brain clogs and helps keep me moving forward, making progress. As a result, it helps me be a better life coach to others. My clients deserve the best form of me I can be.

Setting up goals for the week and designing a plan to reach them, along with incentives and accountability can be a great path to personal growth and is, you guessed it, highly proactive. I don't know anyone who actually desires to be less than their best, however,  most of us are leaving our growth up to chance. How can we expect excellent results from mediocre effort? I'm working on this, too. I'm growing. The thing is, I'm not leaving my personal growth up to chance. I'm being intentional, proactive.  After all, this is my life we're talking about. I believe that people who are living miserably or having a mediocre life experience are not choosing to be proactive. The reason they're not being proactive may lie in the belief that "this is as good as it gets". Well, I have one question: Who says so? I mean, who is in charge of your life? Are you going to leave your happiness and success up to the four winds? You and you, alone get to choose the path you take in life. While things will continue to happen all around you, things you can't control, you get to decide how you're going to react. You always have the choice to see things differently, to take your life back through proactive behavior.

Healthy food choice

So, are you going to get serious about your goals? Are you willing to hold yourself accountable by reporting in to someone else? Are you willing to explore being more proactive about your life? If you could have more joy, would you want to?

Tips for More Proactive Living
1 - Hire a Life Coach.
2 - Get an accountability partner.
3 - Be intentional with your time and personal growth.
4 - Make time for what's truly important. Put it on your calendar.
5 - Set weekly goals, rewards, and consequences.
6 - Resist perfectionism.
7 - Nurture yourself through good nutrition and self care.
8 - Set alarms in your phone as reminders to stay on track with goals.
9 - Control your calendar instead of letting it control you.
10 - Take control of your growth through what you read, listen to, spend time on.