Grabbing the bull by the horns – how to achieve your goals
Today’s episode of Live It, Lead IT! will be part of a three-episode micro-series on how to achieve your goals.
If you want to be a successful leader, you must first learn how to lead yourself. Seems simple enough but if you can’t achieve your own goals then how can you help others achieve theirs? Ultimately if you’re working in an organisation, you will need to attain certain business goals, or you can wave goodbye to your job.

The making of a millionaire
So what goal do you currently have in mind? I’m often faced with people who say that if I can help them achieve their goals, then they want to become a millionaire. Well – I can’t make one million Euros appear in your bank account overnight – I can, however, help you think and feel like a millionaire!
What does being a millionaire mean to you? It’s unlikely that you are obsessed with the idea of having a million coins in your bank account. More likely you desire the opportunity that money affords – what you could do or buy with that kind of money. Fundamentally it’s about attaining independence, safety and security. That’s what money can buy. You see – that’s not so difficult to achieve. If we translate that into practical terms – say for example – the ability to spend 100 Euros at the drop of a hat without the need to think twice – you’ve set yourself a threshold that will make you feel rich if you can achieve it.

Seven steps to achieving your goals
So how do we achieve our goals? Back to the practical stuff. It’s incredible to think that some people can achieve what others consider impossible. How do they do it? Well in the show I will delve into seven points that will help you on their way. Here’s a quick summary:
1) Think of what you want to achieve in an end state, not in a process. Losing weight, for example, is a process. If this is your starting point, you will inevitably fail. Rather than claiming you want to shed some pounds, create concrete actions in their present achieved state, such as “I will run the half marathon this year”.
2) Use positive statements. Do not say ‘I do not want to be a smoker’ but spin this into a positive – for example ‘I want to be a fresh air breather!’.
3) It has to be self-achievable. It cannot be based on other people’s activities.
4) Aim for big goals and represent them across all five senses! For example, if you’re working toward becoming a better husband, father, leader, visualise in every aspect what this looks like.
5) Make sure your goals are self-achievable and think about the outcome. What consequences are there to achieving your goal? Think about the positives and the negatives. Doing so will permit you to be prepared for everything your goal achieving entails.
6) If you’ve got this far then, it’s time to take the decision! Make a contract with yourself (literally) to ensure you remain committed to your goal.
7) And last but not least – it’s time to start with a plan of activities!
Listen on for more details on the seven steps where I’ll delve deeper into the process, helping you become the leader you strive to be!
Yours
Olaf Kapinski