Build On Your Success

I am fierce about setting goals and achieving them, almost to a fault. When I decided to quit my corporate career to start my consulting business 10 years ago I set some key goals and followed them to a tee. For example, I launched my business exactly when I planned to launch. Since this time, I’ve continued to use goals to drive success in both my business and personal life.

My ability to set and achieve goals has left me somewhat frustrated with the inability of others to do the same. I’ve found that most people miss their goals because they don’t take responsibility for their success.

Of course, I’m doing my part to change perspectives. Coaching and advising dozens of individuals to support them in their mission to launch, build and grow their businesses. My frustration however comes when I meet someone who tells me that my success inspires them. My response is always the same “I’m honored, but there is nothing stopping you from achieving similar if not even greater success.”

Most listen; some ask me to explain further; however only a distinct few actually apply what I advise and this is where my frustration sets in.

Setting goals is a historically proven and repeatable process dating back to the 1960’s, yet so few actually take responsibility for success in achieving their goals.

I’ve found that there are three predominant reasons for this:

1. Self-Limiting Beliefs: We are what we believe we are. If you think you can do something, then you can. When challenges set in (and they will), your continuous belief in your success will set you apart from everyone else. This one factor will be a leading contributor to whether or not you actually achieve your goal.
2. Action Paralysis: Nothing is achieved without taking action, consistently and frequently. Achieving goals requires a fervent focus on taking action, regardless of the barriers or obstacles that present themselves. Most people fail to hit their fitness goals simply because it becomes too difficult to get to a gym. You must be oriented towards taking action which means getting creative when obstacles present themselves!
3. Social Conscious: If Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, or Steve Jobs had listened to those around them, we wouldn’t have experienced the world changing inventions they brought forth. Read the biography of any successful entrepreneur, inventor, business or political leader and you are likely to find stories of being shunned by the majority of the general public because their ideas (and actions) don’t conform to what everyone else is doing. If you are too worried about what others think, you will never pursue or even set goals that move you out of your comfort zone.

[Tweet “It’s easy to reflect on what didn’t go well, but what about everything that did?”]

I advise CEOs to include the following in their daily activities:

1. Start your day considering your goals. What are you striving to achieve that keeps you pressing forward? Don’t worry about setting boundaries and stop writing the same goals every day. Write what comes to mind; Write what invigorates you.
2. Schedule time for reflection. It’s virtually impossible to reach your goals if you don’t take time to reflect on how your life will be improved if you pursue them. Take a few moments every day to reflect on your life, your successes and most importantly what you will do to make your goals a reality.
3. Build on your successes. It’s easy to reflect on what didn’t go well, but what about everything that did? End every day considering what went well. What successes did you and your team have?

These steps will not only help you to get your mind right but will also help you to achieve your goals. Remember, once you’ve achieved your goal take responsibility for your success. Heck, go out and celebrate. Taking responsibility for your success and getting your mind right isn’t just crucial to your well-being, it’s crucial to the future success and stability of your business.

© Shawn Casemore 2017. All rights reserved.