Creating Your Inspirational BIHAG

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When it comes to setting goals, there are tons of self help books out there giving you plenty of advice, however, in my opinion they don’t go far enough. I’ve learned over the years that getting goals is far more satisfying than just setting them, so, here’s my formula for goal getting, not goal setting.

You’ll need to go through this process before you even start in order to create a mental picture of what you want to look like when you’ve achieved your transformation.

Follow The S.M.A.R.T.I.E Formula For Writing Goals

The S.M.A.R.T acronym in my opinion, doesn’t quite go far enough and that was where I failed when goal setting.  (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound) I’ve taken the acronym a couple of stages further by making it SMARTIE. Still be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time frame bound, but I’ve added Inspirational and Emotional to the SMART word to give it some clout.  Oh, and make sure to date and time your goal entry.

Write Your Goals In Present Tense

Write your goals in present tense.  Write them as though you are in the midst of actually experiencing them.  Instead of writing “I want to lose weight” write something like, “I’ve just lost weight.” Make sure you use emotional and inspirational feelings in your goal like you can reach out and touch them.

This is crucial, because as will become clear shortly, having that inspirational and emotional attachment is the “WHY” and as Robert Kyosaki writes in Rich Dad Poor Dad, the “WHY must be bigger than the “WHAT”.

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing ImprovementGoal Setting Planner and Self-Exploration BookYou Goal, Girl: A Goal-Setting Workbook

Include How Achieving Your Goal Makes You Feel “In Your Goal”.

The WHY in anything is much bigger than the WHAT and it has to be.  People I work with often want to lose weight, but when I ask them why, they often have no reply, and this is the main reason why so many people fail to achieve their weight loss goal.

They have no idea why they are doing it and so when the going gets rough (as it always does in anything); they have no driving force behind them.  So, when writing down your goal, make sure you include how you will feel to have achieved it.

Here you be as specific as you want, there is no point in holding back here.

Stick Colored Pictures That Help Emotionalize Your Goals.

For those of you more visually orientated, you may want to stick colored pictures in your goal book to help you visualize them.  This will assist you to build a physical picture of what your goal will feel like when you achieve it.

Make Audio Recordings Of Your Goals

For those of you who are audible (and there’s only 7% of the population and I’m one of them) make recordings of you reading your goals OUT LOUD.

Instead of reading them, you can listen to them.  There’s a simple to use and free software program called Audacity that lets you make audio recordings on your computer with just a microphone.

You can edit recordings (remove all your umms and arrs) and then convert it to an MP3 file, save it to a playlist and listen to it on your IPod.

Once you’ve cemented what you want your BIHAG to look, sound and feel like.  Time to write it down.

Below is a sample BIHAG.

 

Simply click here to download your own BIHAG template.  Then its just a matter of simply write down your own BIHAG in a similar fashion to the sample one above.

Read your goal book twice a day, last thing at night and first thing in the morning OUT LOUD!!

This step is crucial in maintaining focus.  Have you ever embarked on a plan of some description, only to have your confidence shattered by close family and friends?

Why is it that we often listen to the opinion of our close family and friends who have no expertise or interest in OUR goals?  The ONLY person you really need to listen to and believe is yourself, so this is why it is critical to read your goals OUT LOUD.

The more you hear something, the more you tend to believe it and the more likely it is to come true.  You also move your goals from the conscious mind to the sub-conscious mind, which is where you want them to be.

Once firmly planted in your sub-conscious mind, your goals will be easily recalled so that whenever you lose focus, you’ll know where to come back to.  It is also with focus that whenever we get hit with the “Self Doubt Punch” we can come back to where we feel comfortable.

Have definitive plans to achieve your goals

Like anything, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Writing down a plan to achieve anything in life is crucial.  I once built a deck.  That may not sound like much to you, but before I built it, I attended deck building classes at Bunning’s, took a technical drawing course at Tafe and then drew scaled plans using a free CAD software program.

Once I’d drawn the deck, (it took me 4 attempts to get it right) I took the plans back to Bunning’s sourced all my materials.  I then took a week off work, treated my days like a tradie, worked 7.00am – 4.30pm building this deck.  (Oh and I drank a six-pack every day after work.)

Take MASSIVE ACTION Immediately

Do not wait until your plans are fully completed before taking massive action.  DO IT NOW!!!  This is where all great plans fall down.  People don’t actually take any action.  I used to work with a Sales Person (I’ll leave her name out as she’s on my mailing list) who I would say “was ALL talk.  You know the kind of person I’m referring to. They say lots but do nothing.  Don’t let that be you.

Take massive action.  Your plans can change over time to reflect changes and that’s ok, but don’t wait for the perfect plan before starting otherwise, guess what… you’ll never ACTUALLY start.

Review your goals on a regular basis

Regardless of whether you achieve them or not, make sure you periodically review them.  Financial goals can be reviewed at the end of the financial year, with monthly or 3 monthly check ups to track your progress.

Annual goals can be reviewed at Christmas which is a great time as you spend lots of time with family and it’s a good time for reflection.  Spiritual goals can be reviewed at religious occasions.  Health and fitness goals can be reviewed at various sporting accomplishments.

Whatever your goal is, ensure you have factored in regular reviews to track your progress.

Oh and by the way, remember this golden rule when setting your goals  You don’t have to know how you are going to achieve it when you make the goal, nor do you have to have all the answers on how to execute the plan, just the foresight or the vision.  The rest comes later, as you make your plans and then follow them.

If you don’t believe me seek out examples of this throughout history, JF Kennedy did it when we promised the American people that he would safely see a man walk on the moon and safely return to earth.  At the time he made that speech in 1961, NASA didn’t exist and the Americans were still a ways to go to put a rocket into space!!!  At every turn scientists kept telling him that it would never be done.

 

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