Dream BIG...then Plan

Did you begin your new year with resolutions to make big, or little, changes in your life? Even with the best of intentions do you already notice your excitement - and therefore resolutions - fading?Forget it. Don’t make them. No ‘I’m going to go to the gym 5 times a week.’ No ‘I’m eliminating sugar from my diet.’  No ‘I’ll be better about staying in touch with those who make me laugh.’Stay with me here…Step back for a minute. What’s your big dream? In business school we talked about Jim Collin's Big Hairy Audacious Goals. What are those goals that as you think of them, you immediately say to yourself, ‘That will never happen?’  Those goals that you preface with, ‘It’s completely unrealistic, but wouldn’t it be amazing to…’ [To hang out with David Ortiz. Some people call him Big Papi. I like to call him DH: Designated Hugger]Instead consider these questions. With one caveat – money, energy and time don’t play a part in your dream:

1. Who do you want to be?
2. What do you want to do?
3. What do you want to have?

Put it all down, especially those Big Hairy Audacious pieces.Now what? Are you excited even just thinking about the possibility that all your goals could really happen? Imagine your life when (not if) you reach these goals.  Are you smiling now?Here’s an example from one of my resolutions from a prior year, versus my goal for this year.Resolution – Be on time for meetings, without doing last minute make up at red lights.Goal – Be a regular contributor on a local morning TV show and NPR, and a columnist for Denver Post.  (Wow. I’ve put it out there, now I really do need to make it happen. And yes, it’s scary.)Now consider this, what’s the worst thing that can happen? You learn something along the way to help you reach it next year. You build new relationships that lead to a new goal. I’ll take it.Putting an emphasis on what you want to achieve focuses on the positive. Say and write your goal in the present tense so your brain thinks it is already happening. Resolutions aim to change a negative habit. The Big Hairy Audacious Goals will focus you, excite you, and motivate you to push yourself harder than before. Do you see the difference?Be Big. Be Audacious. Get Excited. Write it down and look at it every day.When you see your life pass in front of you, make it one you’re excited to see.

Get past stuck and into action TODAY to take control of your career. Contact me for a complimentary 30-minute strategy session.