Look beyond sheer dollars and cents to motivate employees to perform their best and stay on the job.
You’d like your employees to be loyal and hardworking -- to put forth their best effort every day. Treating your employees well can go a long way toward motivating them to do a great job.
Paying a decent salary and giving generous raises can help meet your employees’ material needs so that they’ll be motivated to keep the paychecks coming. But money isn’t everything. Intangible benefits, such as good working conditions and flexible hours, can affect your employees’ attitudes and help motivate them to put forth extra time and effort.
As a small employer, you may be unable to offer many of the work/life balance perks -- such as job sharing and paid time off policies -- that many mid-sized to large employers can use to lure workers. Still, the tried and true techniques mentioned here can help motivate your employees to work hard and well, and stay loyal for years to come.
Meet Emotional Needs
Perhaps most important in determining whether your employees will go the extra mile is how effective you are in meeting their emotional needs. Everyone has a need to be recognized and appreciated, a desire to feel that their work has meaning, and a wish to be treated with dignity and respect.
Many people also strive to improve themselves -- to learn, do more, and experience personal growth. If you can tap into these basic emotional needs and help satisfy them, your employees are likely to put more energy and thought into the job.
Express Appreciation
By taking notice of an employee’s efforts and letting the employee know when he or she is doing an especially good job, you’ll reinforce that behavior -- and the employee is likely to repeat and build on the traits you want to encourage. The beautiful thing is that you can recognize and reward an employee’s good work at little or no cost.
Something as simple as telling an employee that he or she is doing a good job can motivate peak performance -- and may even make more clear to you ways you can refine and expand current work duties.
Give Occasional Gifts
You can recognize and reward excellent performance by giving a small or inexpensive gift such as a plant or a basket of fruit, accompanied by a handwritten note of appreciation.
To get extra mileage, consider having the gift delivered to the employee’s home. That way, the employee will feel enhanced esteem in the eyes of a spouse, partner, children, or other family members. He or she can proudly display your gift and bask in the admiration of others. And the gift will convey a clear message: “You do good work and are valued outside the house, as well as at home.”
These small gifts can also be personalized. If an employee is a jazz fan, for example, a John Coltrane CD might be suitable reward -- again accompanied with a note of thanks. For a sports fan, tickets to a baseball or football game might do the trick. Or for a gourmand, consider a gift certificate for dinner for two at a fine restaurant. Here again, the employee’s achievement can be celebrated with a friend or loved one. Also, consider a gift for the employee’s child -- a way for the employee to spread the good cheer.
After an employee has worked hard to complete a project or dealt with an especially stressful situation, you might give the employee or a day or two off -- with full pay, of course.
Encourage Input
Ask an employee for suggestions to improve working conditions. If the answer is better lighting, or a more efficient computer, or a chance to work at home one day a week, you can often reward the employee by following through on the request.
Communicate Clearly
Be clear with your employees about what you expect. Spend time showing them the ropes. Otherwise, an employee may not intuit how you want the job done.
Good communication goes both ways. Listen to what your employees say. Listening by itself demonstrates recognition and respect. And don’t be surprised if your employees come up with some ideas you can put to use. That’s always good, because it will encourage your employees to come up with more ideas. If you show confidence in their abilities to learn and grow into the job, you will be pleased when they meet -- and even exceed -- your expectations.
But when an employee isn’t meeting expectations, communicate clearly how the performance is sub par, and help the employee come up to your standards. Chances are, the employee wants to succeed and will work hard to avoid being labeled a bad worker.
Allow Room for Professional Growth
Many employees value the chance to expand their skills and take on more responsibility. You can take the time to teach them yourself, or send them to a workshop or seminar. Back at work, your employees will be motivated to try new skills -- and your business will bear the benefits.
Most employees also value autonomy -- being entrusted with tasks they can carry out on their own without close supervision. Your employees are sure to be motivated and strive to do well if you delegate responsible work to them.
Finally, assure your employees that nothing bad will happen if they make a mistake. Everyone who makes decisions will make mistakes now and then, and we all learn from our mistakes. Your employees are likely to be motivated and want to earn the trust that you’ve placed in them. But use discretion in delegating. You don’t want to create a sink-or-swim situation in which one mistake spells disaster for an employee or your business.
Show Dignity and Respect
You can and should point out any aspects of an employee's work that needs improvement, but always put it in terms of the job, not the person. Personal criticism or insults will likely cause the employee to become resentful or angry.
Copyright © Nolo
www.nolo.com
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What it really Matters
Today I was going through a article on Life, Which clearly mentions the things which has to be done in a clear ethical way as well...
Learn a stuff everyday which should be a ongoing process...
The time would never wait for you, we all know that we do have only 24 Hours we have to manage according to it, I see peole saying most of the times NO TIME which makes me go crazy, this one of the conceptural thought in the environment around which is come through ages... Could we change it.... when we are into the new world with lot of thinking people why can't we change things.....
Learn a stuff everyday which should be a ongoing process...
The time would never wait for you, we all know that we do have only 24 Hours we have to manage according to it, I see peole saying most of the times NO TIME which makes me go crazy, this one of the conceptural thought in the environment around which is come through ages... Could we change it.... when we are into the new world with lot of thinking people why can't we change things.....
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Motivate Yourself
MOTIVATE YOURSELF
The following motivational techniques inspired by Dave Ellis’s manual, Becoming a Master Student will be helpful in staying on task and reaching important goals in life.
Motivation can be directly related to the expected outcomes of an action. If the desirable outcome of an action is clear, it becomes easier to complete the task. Setting goals and breaking these down into small objectives is one way of improving motivation. When a person feels they are working toward a larger accomplishment, even unpleasant tasks become tolerable.
Fear is a great deterrent for completing necessary projects. It is important to look into why you do not want to do a task. The initial response may be, “I hate working on bicycles and I just do not want to do it.”
This is a secondary response emotion, though. The real emotion may be, “I worked on a bike when I was a child and it was never the same. I am afraid that if I work on this bike the same thing will happen. I do not want to be a failure.” Fear can get in the way of activities and deplete your motivation. One way of dealing with the fear is determining whether the anxiety is based on an irrational thought. You may not have been mechanically inclined at 8 years old, but now that you are 27 things have changed. Examine your feelings and determine whether this is a fear based on outdated inaccurate information, or a fear that is based in fact. Most fears that cause us to procrastinate and avoid doing things are irrational in nature. When you determine your true reason for avoiding a task, re-program yourself with positive affirmations such as:
“I am capable of doing this and succeeding.”
“I will feel really great when this task is completed.”
“Completing this scary project will help me prove how talented I am.”
“Bicycles are easy to work on, and this one will ride like the wind when I am finished.”
Sometimes the key to motivation lies in the environment you are in. You may dread changing the tire to your car, because your garage is wet, cold and ill lit. Ask a friend for the use of his well-light, heated garage, and the task may become more enjoyable. You can also make the project more enjoyable by asking other people to get involved. If you ask someone to share their expertise it can be an ego boost for them and a source of support for you.
Pressure can both increase your motivation and paralyze your actions, so it must be dealt with carefully. If you are dealing with a paper deadline for school, the motivation to get the grade and turn the assignment in on time has spurred many students into action. However, when the pressure gets too high the anxiety level rises and you can find yourself disabled by a stress reaction. You may need to diminish this tension in order to work effectively. This could entail getting a deadline moved, breaking the task down into small steps, taking time out to exercise and clear your mind, or just relaxing and sorting the whole situation out.
One way to ensure personal success and continued enthusiasm for your own path is identifying people who are successful in the things that are important to you. Get to know these people, study their attitudes and behaviors. By finding a model for success you will have someone to emulate. You might also look at people you do not wish to become and study these negative habits. Both will help you learn important lessons about your future, but be sure to focus on the positive person the most. It is interesting to make a list of your friends and families while analyzing which qualities each of these people have and the habits that make these characteristics possible. Your model for success may not lie in the actions of one person, but in the positive traits of all the people you interact with.
Find someone to be your motivational coach. This person should be someone who honestly believes in your skills and talents. Tell this person about your goals and dreams. Share stories, timelines, the objectives that will get you where you want to go. When you become discouraged, it will be this person’s job to remind you of your strengths and the benefits of persevering. If you exchange this service with a friend it is guaranteed to create greater intimacy and meaning in a relationship. You will feel motivated and will assist someone important to you in their road to success.
You do not need to consider yourself motivationally challenged. It is within your power to change your attitude about unpleasant tasks, and complete the project no matter what it is. Using these methods can help an individual become upbeat, efficient and effective in all areas of their life.
The following motivational techniques inspired by Dave Ellis’s manual, Becoming a Master Student will be helpful in staying on task and reaching important goals in life.
Motivation can be directly related to the expected outcomes of an action. If the desirable outcome of an action is clear, it becomes easier to complete the task. Setting goals and breaking these down into small objectives is one way of improving motivation. When a person feels they are working toward a larger accomplishment, even unpleasant tasks become tolerable.
Fear is a great deterrent for completing necessary projects. It is important to look into why you do not want to do a task. The initial response may be, “I hate working on bicycles and I just do not want to do it.”
This is a secondary response emotion, though. The real emotion may be, “I worked on a bike when I was a child and it was never the same. I am afraid that if I work on this bike the same thing will happen. I do not want to be a failure.” Fear can get in the way of activities and deplete your motivation. One way of dealing with the fear is determining whether the anxiety is based on an irrational thought. You may not have been mechanically inclined at 8 years old, but now that you are 27 things have changed. Examine your feelings and determine whether this is a fear based on outdated inaccurate information, or a fear that is based in fact. Most fears that cause us to procrastinate and avoid doing things are irrational in nature. When you determine your true reason for avoiding a task, re-program yourself with positive affirmations such as:
“I am capable of doing this and succeeding.”
“I will feel really great when this task is completed.”
“Completing this scary project will help me prove how talented I am.”
“Bicycles are easy to work on, and this one will ride like the wind when I am finished.”
Sometimes the key to motivation lies in the environment you are in. You may dread changing the tire to your car, because your garage is wet, cold and ill lit. Ask a friend for the use of his well-light, heated garage, and the task may become more enjoyable. You can also make the project more enjoyable by asking other people to get involved. If you ask someone to share their expertise it can be an ego boost for them and a source of support for you.
Pressure can both increase your motivation and paralyze your actions, so it must be dealt with carefully. If you are dealing with a paper deadline for school, the motivation to get the grade and turn the assignment in on time has spurred many students into action. However, when the pressure gets too high the anxiety level rises and you can find yourself disabled by a stress reaction. You may need to diminish this tension in order to work effectively. This could entail getting a deadline moved, breaking the task down into small steps, taking time out to exercise and clear your mind, or just relaxing and sorting the whole situation out.
One way to ensure personal success and continued enthusiasm for your own path is identifying people who are successful in the things that are important to you. Get to know these people, study their attitudes and behaviors. By finding a model for success you will have someone to emulate. You might also look at people you do not wish to become and study these negative habits. Both will help you learn important lessons about your future, but be sure to focus on the positive person the most. It is interesting to make a list of your friends and families while analyzing which qualities each of these people have and the habits that make these characteristics possible. Your model for success may not lie in the actions of one person, but in the positive traits of all the people you interact with.
Find someone to be your motivational coach. This person should be someone who honestly believes in your skills and talents. Tell this person about your goals and dreams. Share stories, timelines, the objectives that will get you where you want to go. When you become discouraged, it will be this person’s job to remind you of your strengths and the benefits of persevering. If you exchange this service with a friend it is guaranteed to create greater intimacy and meaning in a relationship. You will feel motivated and will assist someone important to you in their road to success.
You do not need to consider yourself motivationally challenged. It is within your power to change your attitude about unpleasant tasks, and complete the project no matter what it is. Using these methods can help an individual become upbeat, efficient and effective in all areas of their life.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY
We are all given twenty-four hours a day in which to live--no more, no less. So why is it that some people are able to accomplish more in one day than others can possibly do in a week? Other than possibly the difference of levels of energy, it must be that one person is able to manage their time more effectively than the other person. This does not mean that one person works harder, but rather, the person who accomplishes more in less time has figured out how to work smarter.
How can you learn to effectively manage your time in order to get more accomplished? Read the following tips and find out!
Tip1:
Set time limits for your simple activities. Some people are dawdlers. This is fine for someone who has a lot of time and they need to fill it, but if you are a dawdler and you wan t to get more done in a lesser amount of time, then you are going to have to learn to practice self-control and set limits on your valuable time. You can do this by setting a reasonable amount of time that the task at hand is going to take. Do not try to rush it, but on the other hand, do not allow yourself too much time to complete the task either. Let us, for example, that you want to clean out a closet. You will need to allow time to empty the closet out, then go through everything and throw away the items that you don't want or need anymore. Then you will need to clean the inside of the closet out and out everything back in it that you want to keep. Depending on the size of the closet, and the amount of stuff that is in it, let us say that you figure you can accomplish this task in one hour. Use a kitchen timer and set it for sixty minutes exactly. Then, start your task. You should have your closet cleaned out and put back together by the time, or even before, the timer goes off.
Tip 2 :
Do not try to do it all yourself. Do not overload yourself by insisting on doing everything yourself. Your husband, wife or kids can help out around the house and make your life easier. It will also help you to save time so you can get other tasks done. Make-up a list of chores for your kids to do. Talk to your spouse about doing a few things more around the house if he or she has the time and you feel overwhelmed. If your family is already too busy to help you out a little more, then you should consider hiring either full or part time help. You can easily find someone to help you do a variety of chores around the house, which may include cleaning your house, doing the laundry, ironing, or helping with the cooking duties.
Tip 3 :
Learn to set priorities and also to just say NO. In finding more time in your busy life so that you can get things done, you must decide what jobs are most important and need done first. Do not let little things get in the way if you can possibly help it.
Also, do not let yourself feel obligated every time someone asks you to do something for them. This includes charitable organizations, school activities, and, even when someone in your family asks you to do something that you do not have time for.
We are all given twenty-four hours a day in which to live--no more, no less. So why is it that some people are able to accomplish more in one day than others can possibly do in a week? Other than possibly the difference of levels of energy, it must be that one person is able to manage their time more effectively than the other person. This does not mean that one person works harder, but rather, the person who accomplishes more in less time has figured out how to work smarter.
How can you learn to effectively manage your time in order to get more accomplished? Read the following tips and find out!
Tip1:
Set time limits for your simple activities. Some people are dawdlers. This is fine for someone who has a lot of time and they need to fill it, but if you are a dawdler and you wan t to get more done in a lesser amount of time, then you are going to have to learn to practice self-control and set limits on your valuable time. You can do this by setting a reasonable amount of time that the task at hand is going to take. Do not try to rush it, but on the other hand, do not allow yourself too much time to complete the task either. Let us, for example, that you want to clean out a closet. You will need to allow time to empty the closet out, then go through everything and throw away the items that you don't want or need anymore. Then you will need to clean the inside of the closet out and out everything back in it that you want to keep. Depending on the size of the closet, and the amount of stuff that is in it, let us say that you figure you can accomplish this task in one hour. Use a kitchen timer and set it for sixty minutes exactly. Then, start your task. You should have your closet cleaned out and put back together by the time, or even before, the timer goes off.
Tip 2 :
Do not try to do it all yourself. Do not overload yourself by insisting on doing everything yourself. Your husband, wife or kids can help out around the house and make your life easier. It will also help you to save time so you can get other tasks done. Make-up a list of chores for your kids to do. Talk to your spouse about doing a few things more around the house if he or she has the time and you feel overwhelmed. If your family is already too busy to help you out a little more, then you should consider hiring either full or part time help. You can easily find someone to help you do a variety of chores around the house, which may include cleaning your house, doing the laundry, ironing, or helping with the cooking duties.
Tip 3 :
Learn to set priorities and also to just say NO. In finding more time in your busy life so that you can get things done, you must decide what jobs are most important and need done first. Do not let little things get in the way if you can possibly help it.
Also, do not let yourself feel obligated every time someone asks you to do something for them. This includes charitable organizations, school activities, and, even when someone in your family asks you to do something that you do not have time for.
Monday, July 16, 2007
PROCRASTINATING
Ø STOP PROCRASTINATING
Everyone procrastinates at one time or another. Some people habitually delay projects for work or school. Others put off cleaning the house or starting that diet. And while it’s only an occasional problem for most, procrastination can be a chronic stumbling block for some.
There are many reasons for procrastinating. Two common explanations are fear of failure and dread of taking on a long, boring, and/ or difficult tasks.
Fear of failure often comes into play at work or school where results are evaluated and can affect our future success. A student may put off studying for a test until the last minute. Lack of time hitting the books is a more desirable explanation for failure than lacking intelligence to learn the material.
When a task is perceived as long or difficult, many will procrastinate simply because there is no immediate gratification. For example, it will take months to lose those ten pounds. Putting off the diet one more day (and eating that yummy chocolate cake) will not make much difference.
But that one extra day (and the cake) does make a difference. Procrastination causes stress, anxiety and a feeling of failure. Students who fear failure ultimately guarantee that failure when they do not prepare for tests or start projects on time. Employees who begin tasks at the last minute rarely perform as well as their non-procrastinating colleagues. Putting off that diet will ultimately add to the number of pounds you need to lose to be healthy making the job that much harder to accomplish.
If you are a chronic procrastinator, you will not cure yourself in a day. Reward yourself for every step taken in the right direction.
First figure out why you are procrastinating. Is it fear of failure or lack of confidence? Write down all the reasons why putting off your project will bring you one step closer to failure. Does it make sense to put it off any longer? No.
Break down the task into smaller jobs. If it’s a thirty page paper due in two weeks. Write down a goal of finishing three pages a night. After you finish your nightly quota, give yourself a reward of some sort. Watch your favorite TV show (taped while you were working, of course) or have a treat.
Remind yourself (write it down and put it on the fridge) of how good you will feel when your project is done or when you’ve lost those ten pounds. Plan a big reward for that time. If the end seems too far away, give yourself a reward at the half way point.
Those of us who procrastinate on a day to day basis need a realistic clear prioritized ‘to do’ list. Keep the list with you and stick to the order. Cross things off as they are accomplished. Plan a reward for the end of the day if you accomplish all your tasks.
Tell your friends and family about your goals. If you have someone asking you how the diet is coming along, it’s more difficult to cheat. If you have a long school project to do, ask a friend to help keep you on task by calling each day to see what you have accomplished.
Procrastination can cause you to miss opportunities and sabotage your future. Stop procrastinating!
Everyone procrastinates at one time or another. Some people habitually delay projects for work or school. Others put off cleaning the house or starting that diet. And while it’s only an occasional problem for most, procrastination can be a chronic stumbling block for some.
There are many reasons for procrastinating. Two common explanations are fear of failure and dread of taking on a long, boring, and/ or difficult tasks.
Fear of failure often comes into play at work or school where results are evaluated and can affect our future success. A student may put off studying for a test until the last minute. Lack of time hitting the books is a more desirable explanation for failure than lacking intelligence to learn the material.
When a task is perceived as long or difficult, many will procrastinate simply because there is no immediate gratification. For example, it will take months to lose those ten pounds. Putting off the diet one more day (and eating that yummy chocolate cake) will not make much difference.
But that one extra day (and the cake) does make a difference. Procrastination causes stress, anxiety and a feeling of failure. Students who fear failure ultimately guarantee that failure when they do not prepare for tests or start projects on time. Employees who begin tasks at the last minute rarely perform as well as their non-procrastinating colleagues. Putting off that diet will ultimately add to the number of pounds you need to lose to be healthy making the job that much harder to accomplish.
If you are a chronic procrastinator, you will not cure yourself in a day. Reward yourself for every step taken in the right direction.
First figure out why you are procrastinating. Is it fear of failure or lack of confidence? Write down all the reasons why putting off your project will bring you one step closer to failure. Does it make sense to put it off any longer? No.
Break down the task into smaller jobs. If it’s a thirty page paper due in two weeks. Write down a goal of finishing three pages a night. After you finish your nightly quota, give yourself a reward of some sort. Watch your favorite TV show (taped while you were working, of course) or have a treat.
Remind yourself (write it down and put it on the fridge) of how good you will feel when your project is done or when you’ve lost those ten pounds. Plan a big reward for that time. If the end seems too far away, give yourself a reward at the half way point.
Those of us who procrastinate on a day to day basis need a realistic clear prioritized ‘to do’ list. Keep the list with you and stick to the order. Cross things off as they are accomplished. Plan a reward for the end of the day if you accomplish all your tasks.
Tell your friends and family about your goals. If you have someone asking you how the diet is coming along, it’s more difficult to cheat. If you have a long school project to do, ask a friend to help keep you on task by calling each day to see what you have accomplished.
Procrastination can cause you to miss opportunities and sabotage your future. Stop procrastinating!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Steps for Setting Goals
STEPS FOR SETTING GOALS
There is an ancient anonymous quote which captures some of the idea of goal setting: "Luck is the residue of design."
People tend to make comments about how lucky a person was to accomplish a certain dream, reach something that others thought might be unattainable. However the quote above reflects that luck is the residue of design, meaning good planning. Perhaps more importantly good goal setting.
Goal setting is far more than seeing the big picture or even planning the individual steps or objective and methods of obtaining your goals. It is also a realistic analysis of what is reasonable and attainable. This article will look at several key examples of realistic goal writing in order to help everyone attain their dreams.
First and foremost one must look at if the goal is concrete. Can you measure it? How specific is your goal? Is it something like I will increase my sales, without saying by how much or how many or how much money might be linked to the amount of sales increase? Just like saying that you will lose weight, and failing to set a number of pounds. Be specific. Be realistic. You may want to establish a short term goal of losing 5-7 pounds per week, which is the average amount of weight lost to water weight and should be attainable realistically the first week. Saying even ten pounds per week might be setting the goal too high. You might set a long term goal of losing 100 pounds, but your goal has to have other aspects built in or the 100 pounds will seem overwhelming and you will have more problems in reaching your goal. One of the issues of an unrealistic goal is also motivation.
Each individual must ask themselves if their goal motivates them and if so how does help them get started. In the example already listed, losing 100 pounds is a good goal, but to break it down into more realistic objectives measured week by week is far more motivational. If you set your initial goal at 5-7 pounds and reach that goal you will be far more motivated for the next week. Since we know this is a standard weight loss measurement from the first week of dieting and exercise, through water weight, then indeed this is building in some motivational success.
Men tend to lose more weight than women the first week and that also goes for the differential. A man is more likely to lose the 7 and the woman more likely to lose 5. Allow yourself some cushion, or leeway in your estimates and goals. They must be motivational and concrete.
Realistic goal setting includes the idea of whether or not the goal can be attained. Do you have to ability to attain that goal or is it outside your ability. Do other forces, events, or outside individuals control the situation so that by setting yourself an unattainable goal you are setting yourself up for failure. Make sure you have control over the outcome.
In order for the goal to inspire you, and be important motivationally, it must also be applicable or relevant to your life. Does the goal have meaning for you? Shape the goal so that it is worded and has an impact, make it have meaning for you. If it is weight loss then indeed make it meaningful with ideas of new clothes and many other relevant dreams and thoughts that can help spur you on to the goal. Do not set goals for things you really don’t want to do. In this sense, if your spouse says they want you to quit smoking and you do not and will not, why bother setting goals. Not to say that smoking is healthy. Just that IF this is not something you want to accomplish or is relevant to your life you are unlikely to succeed.
Finally we must look at how you track your goal, can you use a timeline to help you accomplish you goal within a time standard. Is there a deadline? You have to set those objectives of losing five pounds per week, and then arrive at twenty weeks later with hopefully the long term weight loss goal of 100 pounds. You might want to figure in a few extra weeks for mistakes, holidays, or anticipated problems or backsliding. But you should establish signposts and small goal dates leading up to a final goal date. Don't let the whole project overwhelm you. It may seem to be an insurmountable mountain if you look at it that way. Instead of taking it one small part at a time.
In conclusion you are most likely to succeed in obtaining your dreams if you start with realistic goal setting and solid planning. Looking at the key elements of how concrete and measurable your goal is, are you motivated, can it be realistically attained, is it relevant to your life and is there a deadline or timeline? All these questions and planning are more than luck. They are a design, a plan that will leave other people amazed at your success. By setting goals and solving problems.
There is an ancient anonymous quote which captures some of the idea of goal setting: "Luck is the residue of design."
People tend to make comments about how lucky a person was to accomplish a certain dream, reach something that others thought might be unattainable. However the quote above reflects that luck is the residue of design, meaning good planning. Perhaps more importantly good goal setting.
Goal setting is far more than seeing the big picture or even planning the individual steps or objective and methods of obtaining your goals. It is also a realistic analysis of what is reasonable and attainable. This article will look at several key examples of realistic goal writing in order to help everyone attain their dreams.
First and foremost one must look at if the goal is concrete. Can you measure it? How specific is your goal? Is it something like I will increase my sales, without saying by how much or how many or how much money might be linked to the amount of sales increase? Just like saying that you will lose weight, and failing to set a number of pounds. Be specific. Be realistic. You may want to establish a short term goal of losing 5-7 pounds per week, which is the average amount of weight lost to water weight and should be attainable realistically the first week. Saying even ten pounds per week might be setting the goal too high. You might set a long term goal of losing 100 pounds, but your goal has to have other aspects built in or the 100 pounds will seem overwhelming and you will have more problems in reaching your goal. One of the issues of an unrealistic goal is also motivation.
Each individual must ask themselves if their goal motivates them and if so how does help them get started. In the example already listed, losing 100 pounds is a good goal, but to break it down into more realistic objectives measured week by week is far more motivational. If you set your initial goal at 5-7 pounds and reach that goal you will be far more motivated for the next week. Since we know this is a standard weight loss measurement from the first week of dieting and exercise, through water weight, then indeed this is building in some motivational success.
Men tend to lose more weight than women the first week and that also goes for the differential. A man is more likely to lose the 7 and the woman more likely to lose 5. Allow yourself some cushion, or leeway in your estimates and goals. They must be motivational and concrete.
Realistic goal setting includes the idea of whether or not the goal can be attained. Do you have to ability to attain that goal or is it outside your ability. Do other forces, events, or outside individuals control the situation so that by setting yourself an unattainable goal you are setting yourself up for failure. Make sure you have control over the outcome.
In order for the goal to inspire you, and be important motivationally, it must also be applicable or relevant to your life. Does the goal have meaning for you? Shape the goal so that it is worded and has an impact, make it have meaning for you. If it is weight loss then indeed make it meaningful with ideas of new clothes and many other relevant dreams and thoughts that can help spur you on to the goal. Do not set goals for things you really don’t want to do. In this sense, if your spouse says they want you to quit smoking and you do not and will not, why bother setting goals. Not to say that smoking is healthy. Just that IF this is not something you want to accomplish or is relevant to your life you are unlikely to succeed.
Finally we must look at how you track your goal, can you use a timeline to help you accomplish you goal within a time standard. Is there a deadline? You have to set those objectives of losing five pounds per week, and then arrive at twenty weeks later with hopefully the long term weight loss goal of 100 pounds. You might want to figure in a few extra weeks for mistakes, holidays, or anticipated problems or backsliding. But you should establish signposts and small goal dates leading up to a final goal date. Don't let the whole project overwhelm you. It may seem to be an insurmountable mountain if you look at it that way. Instead of taking it one small part at a time.
In conclusion you are most likely to succeed in obtaining your dreams if you start with realistic goal setting and solid planning. Looking at the key elements of how concrete and measurable your goal is, are you motivated, can it be realistically attained, is it relevant to your life and is there a deadline or timeline? All these questions and planning are more than luck. They are a design, a plan that will leave other people amazed at your success. By setting goals and solving problems.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
