Empower the Vision in You Coaching Tip #16

Welcome back to “Empower The Vision In You”coaching series of blogs. This is coaching tip #16 and the final one. Each one builds has built on the one before it. 

In the last coaching article, I wrote about the obstacles to achieving your goal. Today, I’m writing about coaching tip #16, the action steps or plans to achieving your goal. Action steps are the actions that you will take to overcome the obstacle. The amount of action steps you need to overcome obstacles will vary.  There will be times when you have more action steps needed or sometimes when you can eliminate an action step because it is not needed. So, now you want to generate as many action steps as possible that will get the job done. The most important key to writing an action step is that you put a written date down as to when you aspire to completing each action step. The date again is a very important aspect of the goal writing process. Here is an example going back to the weight loss goal. The first obstacle Sydney wrote was unmotivated and lazy. Here are four action steps and an explanation of each.

First Action Step: Make appointment for a complete physical. Why would that be a good action step? Well, Sydney  is unmotivated and lazy, right? Perhaps if she goes to get a physical, the results of the physical and the doctor’s words might be a real motivating factor in changing eating and exercise patterns. Not to mention the physical problems that may have developed over time as a result of poor eating and lack of physical exercise.

Maybe Sydney has been putting off getting a physical because she knows deep down inside that she needs to do something to get control of her weight which is out of control. Deep down inside she knows that her body isn’t working to its optimal capacity because she doesn’t feel energized and has lost that bounce to her step–not to mention how she can hardly fit into her “fat” clothes anymore. So she sets a date for making the appointment and getting the physical.

Second Action Step: She decides to do some research on the benefits of diet and exercise. This can be motivating as she will learn more about the benefits of diet and exercise and can be inspiring as to the positive impact it can have in her life. Additionally, she can then make a list of the benefits that she finds and post it on her refrigerator or where she can easily see it to remind herself.

Third Action Step: Would be to pick a dietary regiment found through her research that would best suit her needs along with an exercise plan. She may want to visit some health clubs or exercise studios to see which venue would suit her needs in helping to achieve the goal. This would also be dated for completion for starting the diet plan and exercise routine.

Lastly, for true motivation, she would go out and buy a hot, beautiful, expensive dress in her desirable size and hang it where she can see it every day. She would date that as well. 
Now, make a list of all the action steps or plans to overcome each of the obstacles that will get in the way of achieving your goal. Don’t forget to date each one! Start working on the first action step today.

Here are some last thoughts to the power of goal setting. When you feel that a goal may be overwhelming cut it down into manageable parts. Remember that even the smallest step is a step forward and the greatest goal of all. Keep a journal on your daily successes to keep you motivated.

You would be surprised how many little successes that you have. For example, if you goal is to lose weight, and you walked by the refrigerator inside of diving inside it-guess what that is a step in the forward direction. Write it down. Write down every success and read them over at the end of the night. Congratulate yourself.

If you slip up, don’t berate yourself. Okay, so you didn’t achieve much in the way of goal achieving today. You will start over again tomorrow. When you are successful, reward yourself because you deserve it.

Don’t get discouraged when you are having a hard time reaching a goal because if it is realistic and achievable, perseverance will get you there. With enough perseverance you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, within reason of course.

Sometimes we have goals that are really personal and we will keep them to ourselves. Other times there are those who may be the naysayers-remember to close your mind to them and keep on moving forward.

Visioning helps to achieve goals. The mind thinks in pictures and a vision board is a very powerful means to seeing your goal already as a reality. Well, with this coaching tip #16 I hope that I have achieved my goal of helping you get on the road to achieving yours. Remember that a written goal and knowledge is nothing without action. Take action right now.