Specificity Beats Hard Work

"To be successful, you must be willing to do the things today others won't do in order to have the things tomorrow others won't have." Les Brown

Set clear and specific goals and have a plan to achieve them; that is how the daily whirlwind can be navigated. A study by the University of Scranton highlighted that only 8% of people who set goals manage to achieve them. This means that 92% of people who set goals fail to reach them. This does not even include the many people who do not set goals, lament that they have not achieved what they wished, and live with regrets. Goals are critical to managing change and achieving what we want in business and life. Life is about change, and that is a fact! Setting clear and specific goals with a plan to accomplish them will support you in navigating the exertion required. Let's stop thinking it's hard; instead, think about how much time and effort you are willing to put in to achieve what you want. Then, create a plan that fits and delivers on this. It all starts with goals. As Les Brown says, "To be successful, you must be willing to do the things today others won't do in order to have the things tomorrow others won't have."

Let's stay focused on those who do set goals. What is it that 8% of people do well and 92% do not? It all comes down to being super specific. Using the SMART framework to set your goals will clarify what you want to achieve and by when. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

If you think you may be one of the 92% of people, here are a few tips to improve your track record for achieving your goals.

Tip #1

Be super specific. With specificity comes clarity with no jargon or fluffy statements. For example, goals are often stated as:

• I want to lose weight
• I want to earn more money
• I want to grow my business

These are not goals; they are wishful thinking statements. A specific goal has clarity and relevance to what you want to achieve, and that is also key; it needs to be achievable. Here are the goals rewritten as super specific:

• Lose 4 kilos by the end of October.
• Make $100,000 by the end of December.
• Create two new programs to generate $10,000 monthly by end of June.

The more specific a goal, the easier it is to action because you will be able to identify the activities needed to achieve that outcome by that time-bound date. When you are clear about what you must work on, you will inspire yourself and be intrinsically motivated to achieve. Setting specific goals is a habit to build because where your energy flows, the focus goes, and actions show. James Clear said it best in his book Atomic Habits: "Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity.”

Tip# 2

Establish 'process' goals. Most people set goals as an outcome without thinking about how they will achieve them. Process goals are the same as lead measures, which are common success elements in business to navigate the day-to-day whirlwind. Lead measures are effective because process goals lead to your outcome goal. How do you eat an elephant (metaphorically, of course)? One bite at a time. This is what process goals are as lead measures because they are based on achieving a specific result by identifying the most critical activities required to achieve the result.

 Achieving goals relates to the habits we have and the actions we take on a daily and weekly basis consistently—consistency and discipline compound over time to achieve results, like saving money and compounding interest. So, do our actions compound when we consistently do the thing that will lead us to our goal?

For example, if you aim to finish a marathon in 4 hours (outcome), you may need to run at least 3-4 times a week for a few months (process or lead measure).

In this example, the process goals could be:

• Monthly Goal: Run at least 16 times.
• Weekly Goal: Run 2 x 10km.
• Today's Goal: Complete a 10km run.

Showing up consistently to achieve your goals is about taking action, and by breaking down process goals as your lead measures, you only have to focus on one specific step at a time, which will remove the overwhelm and support you to avoid procrastination.

Tip #3

Be accountable to someone. An accountability buddy makes you more likely to hold yourself accountable to achieve your goal. No one else can hold you accountable; only you can. However, when you share your goal with someone you trust, a friend, partner, or colleague, you can honestly and openly communicate your goal and how you will achieve it. Your accountability buddy becomes your biggest fan, supporting you to succeed and celebrating with you when you have and may want to join forces to achieve a similar goal. This is true in business and with life goals.

Without an accountability buddy, it is so easy to let yourself off the hook of the thing you were meant to do today; I know because I have done it! It’s much easier to rationalise your excuses or accept lower standards of behaviour when no one’s watching. For example, if you want to lose weight and commit to exercise and nutrition process goals as your lead measures, you only have to convince yourself when you decide to have that piece of milk chocolate. This is easy to do because, so often, we will do what is comfortable. If you share this weight loss goal with someone else, you will be more likely to stay on track because you do not want to let the other person down, who may also be sharing the same goal and doing their best to keep on track. Doing process goals with someone else is a great way to hold yourself accountable. No man or woman is an island; we all need help and support sometimes. Contact someone you trust to help you hold yourself accountable to your goals.

When we join forces with like-minded people, our performance will automatically improve, increasing our odds of achieving our goals. So, if you have a business goal, seek a mentor, meet with other entrepreneurs, get a business coach, or join a mastermind. If you have a fitness goal, partner with a friend to workout, call a personal trainer and meet with a nutritionist. Start pursuing your goals with accountability, and your odds of success will soar. A plan with process goals as lead measures is how you will ultimately achieve what you wish for. As Brian Tracy reminds us, "A goal without a plan is only a dream."

If you have yet to set goals, then doing that now is just the beginning, but it is the place to start. Then, having a plan for achieving your goals with process and lead measures will take you towards your goals, which is critical to attaining the success you wish to have. Once you have a plan, ongoing planning comes into play; it is simply a habit to build. Your habits will create the future you wish to have, so starting today is a great place to be.

Book a Complimentary Strategy Session  with a lead coach at Leaders Network to better understand how to develop specific goals and plans to achieve them.