Paul Duxbury

Why Commit Publicly To Your Goals?

In a post earlier today I touched on the importance of committing publicly to a goal that you are working towards. So why is it so important? Promising yourself you are going to exercise, finish your assignment for your CIPD studies or complete your application to become a member of the Learning and Performance Institute are all great goals.

The problem is you are only holding yourself accountable. If you do the work to reach your goal, that’s wonderful. But if you don’t, then no one is going to know. Committing to your goals publicly helps you hold yourself accountable to reach them.

Three Easy Ways To Commit Publicly:

Sharing your progress with colleagues, family and friends keeps you accountable to a broad group of people who have your best interests in mind. You have to answer to them if you skip a workout or if you increase your debt in some way.
Create a group on social media and form a group of like-minded people all working to help each other succeed. Peer pressure while working towards a goal can be powerful motivation. The support of others can be invaluable in keeping you on track or getting you back on track if you stumble or want to give up. You can report your progress as well as your fails, while supporting others in their progress. One more way to increase your commitment to your goal is to involve others in its achievement. Instead of engaging your competitive spirit, you can create a spirit of collaboration, cooperation and teamwork.
Commit on a blog and through an accountability partner or coach. By announcing your intentions on your blog, can hold you accountable to your actions. People will begin to lose faith in you if you don’t follow through and none of us want that do we? The same can be said of an accountability partner or coach. They are putting their time and trust into you. You don’t want to disappoint them do you?

Committing to your goals publicly is a way to get help and support from others, while returning the same for them. When others know your goals, they act as a support system you can go to when you need encouragement and motivation.

Openness enables others to hold you accountable. They will want to know what you did towards your goal that day or week, or why you didn’t work on it.

Are Motivated People Different?

Is there something different about being a Motivated Person? Are they unique or somehow different? There is nothing really “secret” about motivated people but of you want to be a successful goal achiever there are some approaches and attitudes which will help you stand out from the crowd.

People who are successful in their chosen field are generally speaking motivated to achieve. They approach things in a way which helps them to achieve the success they want. Whether your goal is to be recognised as an expert in your field; to be the best at what you do; to achieve a promotion or find a new role there are certain behaviours and attitudes which will help you. So let’s take a look at what those are:

Start with small mini-goals.

Start with something small and easy, then grow from there. Sometimes a large goal or even a long-term goal is too overwhelming. You can lose motivation quickly when there is a lot of time left before you reach your goal. Let’s say you have a goal of getting more exercise. Don’t think you have to do intense 30-45 minute, 5-day-a week exercise right from the start. Instead start out with something smaller, say a five minute routine or a ten minute walk for one week. Then the next week add a few more minutes until, by the end of the month, you’re doing 30 minutes of exercise.

Work on one goal at a time.

Working on several goals at once saps your energy and can rob you of your motivation quickly. It’s a mistake many of us make. Keeping your focus is out of the question when trying to accomplish two or more goals at the same time.

Really want what is is that you are striving for.

This is essential. You have to be passionate about your reasons why you want something. Write your reasons down. They have to be reasons you are really excited about and you want deeply.

Commit to it publicly.

Nothing holds you more accountable than sharing it with others. No one wants to look bad in front of someone else. Tell your friends and family, write about it in your blog or on social media. Hold yourself accountable over and over by giving progress updates every week or so.

Build anticipation

. This goes along with the accountability. Build anticipation by setting a date in the future as your start date – say a week or two from when you announce your goal. Mark that date on your calendar. Talk about it like it’s the most important date in your life. Write out a plan for reaching the goal so you know the steps to take when you do start.

Print out your goal

. Post it somewhere where you see it every day, like the bathroom mirror or refrigerator and on your desk at work. Make it a big reminder to keep you focused and excited. Keep focused on the end goal.

Be positive about yourself and your success

. With faith in what you believe, you can conquer whatever you desire. Have a win-win attitude. Keep your attitude positive.

Be proactive

. Don’t let negative people or situations take control. Listen to yourself and how you feel.

Set priorities

. Learn what should come first in your life – only you will know this!

Anticipate pitfalls

. When you make a plan, troubleshoot any problems you may encounter.

Have an attitude of expectancy

. Motivated people know that you get what you expect. Expect great results. Expect to achieve your goal but ensure that you don’t come across as big-headed or arrogant. Confidence in yourself and humility do go hand in hand.

If there is a “secret” of motivated people it is to start with small goals, be really excited and passionate about your reasons why you are reaching for a specific goal, and to hold yourself accountable.

Can You Believe This? Myths about Motivation

We’ve been told by motivational speakers and authors what we need to do to become or stay motivated. No doubt they believed they were giving good advice. They genuinely wanted to help others reach their goals.

But were they unintentionally reinforcing false notions about how motivation works?

Let’s look at some of these motivational myths.

1. Write down your goals and you’re guaranteed success.

In all fairness there is some truth in writing down your goals and getting specific about what you want is important. But it’s not as simple as it sounds. You have to do more than write them down. Writing down a goal helps you plan, but action is what actually gets you to the goal.

2. Do your best.

Many people believe this is a great way to motivate someone. They think it encourages someone without putting pressure on them. Actually, it is only giving them permission to be mediocre. Instead, you should set specific and difficult goals. That way you push yourself to work harder and commit to the goal in the long term.

3. Visualize your success.

This is popular positive thinking advice. Visualizing success without putting in any effort isn’t helpful. In fact, it’s a recipe for failure. You can visualize your success, but you have to believe that to make that success happen you’ll need to put forth the effort, planning and persistence.

4. You’re your biggest motivator.

You could have all the gung-ho in the world, but if you are associating with negative people or are trying to do it alone, then you’re doomed to fail. For example, if you want to lose weight, then socializing with those who make unhealthy choices can derail you. In reality, you need the right social support to reach your goal. A good offline and online support structure is necessary for sharing experiences and building confidence.

5. Failure is a sign of weakness.

Don’t beat yourself up if you fail at some point. It could be because you stopped tracking your successes or skipped a few days on your diet. These aren’t a sign of weakness. It’s simply a sign of old, familiar behavior patterns working their way back into your life. Failure is a result of lack of planning or poor behavior patterns.

These motivational myths aren’t your keys to success. In order to succeed, you need to put in the effort and create a plan to achieve your goal. You can find motivation in these myths, but without putting in the work they’ll remain myths.

Do You Need A Goal Success Plan?

As we are now moving towards the end of the first quarter of the year it’s a good time to think about how we are doing with our goals for the year.

Do you set off with the best of intentions at the start of the year and set goals, only to eventually give up on them? Maybe you set a goal to lose 20 pounds this year. But by the middle of the year you will have given up completely. If this sounds familiar, it might be because you are trying to achieve your goals in the wrong way. Following through with your goals means you need to know the right way to achieve them. In other words, you need a goal setting success plan.

Let me share 10 steps for goal setting success that will get you back on the right track before more of the year disappears:

Focus on one goal at a time. Many people start out with several goals at once and try to do too much. At the end they become overwhelmed and lose energy and motivation. It’s a very common mistake. It is impossible to maintain your passionate energy and focus when trying to reach two or more goals at once.Choose one goal and focus on it completely. You can always go back to the other goals once you’ve accomplished your primary goal.
Write down your goals and post them someplace you’ll see them every day. Put them on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, on your smartphone and on your desktop. Seeing your goals every day keeps you motivated. Having them written down means you won’t forget them or get sidetracked.
Believe in your goal. Have faith in the process and believe you can accomplish it. Make your thoughts positive and turn your thoughts into reality.
Visualise your end result. Think about what your want the finish line to look like. What does it feel like, look like, smell like? How do you feel? Be absolutely clear on what you want to happen.
Create a plan of action to achieve your goal. Write down a list of the action steps you need to take. When you have a goal, but no plan of action, you aren’t sure of what to do next. It’s like driving without directions of where you want to go. You miss deadlines, don’t have priorities and are unorganized. You eventually get frustrated and your goal fails.
Know your “why.” Knowing your purpose or the reason why you want to achieve a particular goal keeps you motivated to take the steps needed to reach the goal. It helps you recognize that the goal is worth working towards.
Commit to your goal. Write down why and how you are committing to your goal and why it’s important. What does the finished goal mean to you, and why is it necessary for you to make it happen? Write down the steps you need to take to make it happen.
Hold yourself accountable. Get outside help like a coach if you need to have someone else hold you accountable. They can provide valuable feedback when you need it.
Stay focused on your goal. There will be times when you get sidetracked or you won’t know the next step you need to take. It’s easy to give up on your goal when this happens. The key is to remain focused on your goal. Take out your “why” and remind yourself the reason you are reaching for this goal.
Review your goals every day. Then take action on them. This keeps your goals fresh in your mind. It also allows you to see which steps you still need to take, and to make any adjustments that you might need to.

If you really want to succeed then you might need to think about a good goal setting success plan. By following these steps and taking action on your goal every day, you have everything you need to succeed.

Does Personal Branding Matter for L & D Professionals?

Do we as Learning & Development professionals need to concern ourselves with the idea of Personal Branding. When we look in the mirror do we see what others see in terms of our personal brand and should we care?

I am sure like me you have read a lot about how it’s important to take your personal brand seriously if you want others to take you seriously. As professionals, whether employed or working for ourselves, we are creating a brand identity for ourselves simply by interacting with others so doesn’t it make sense to give that “brand” some thought and to exercise some control over it?

You might therefore want to consider these tips for understanding the importance of personal branding, defining your own personal brand, and marketing your brand.

Understanding the Importance of Personal Branding

Your personal brand helps you to:

1. Focus on building your reputation as an Learning & Development Professional. Your personal brand is your reputation. It’s the way others see you. If you’re like most people, you may be switching jobs and employers from time to time. Your personal brand is an asset you can take with you wherever you go.

2. Chart your own direction. Being clear about your personal brand you will find it easier to establish meaningful goals, priorities and action plans. Even while taking care of daily obligations, you’ll have a bigger picture in mind.

3. Serve others. Self promotion can go too far, so it’s easy to think that branding is somehow vain or self-absorbed. In reality, your personal brand shows the positive impact you can have on other people and the world around you.

Defining Your Own Personal Brand

These tips will help you create an outstanding personal brand as an L&D Professional:

1. Take an inventory. This should be an easy one for any L&D Professional! Take a good look at yourself. Write out your strengths and weaknesses. Identify your passions. Think about what you’re good at and what you like to do.

2. Distinguish yourself from your colleagues. There are plenty of talented and dependable people in our field. Pinpoint your unique selling point. Maybe you’re a trainer who always gets the very best out of even the most reluctant learner?

3. Talk about benefits. Let your target audience know what you can do for them. Explain how you can boost profits by increasing sales or saving money.

4. Summarise your “mission” or what you do that’s different in 10 seconds or less. Be prepared to capture people’s attention quickly. Let them know what you do in 15 words or less. You can tell you’re on the right track when they ask for more details.

5. Ask for feedback. Ask your family, friends, learners and colleagues to find out what they think of you and your abilities. Show your appreciation for constructive criticism so they’ll keep sharing it with you.

6. Stay updated. Review your personal mission statement every six months. Make new action plans so you’re always getting closer to your goals.

Marketing Your Personal Brand

No-one gets noticed who keeps their light hidden under the bushel do they! Think about using some of these strategies to expand your reach:

1. Increase your visibility. Post fresh content on your website or blog regularly. Stay active in social media. Look for opportunities to help others learn, give presentations, or write articles for professional organisations in our field like the Learning and Performance Insititute or the CIPD.

2. Build A “Fan” Base. Collect samples of positive feedback you get in the workplace. Assemble testimonials from happy learners or organisations and encourage them to make referrals. Word of mouth is often more effective and certainly cheaper than paid advertising.

3. Tell your success stories. Craft brief anecdotes about your accomplishments that showcase your skills and make you proud. Rehearse telling them so you sound natural.

4. Gather Statistics. Numbers sound convincing. Try to quantify the value you can deliver. For example, if you have saved your organisation money by implementing a new learning initiative – get the facts and figures as you would do in your CV

5. Be aware that you have your own dream team. By “dream team” I mean of course your Personal Learning Network. It’s difficult to go it alone. Cultivate your network. Help others to market their brand and they’re more likely to do the same for you.

Years ago when we talked about branding we tended to think about cattle or big corporations, but now everyone is in on the act. Take charge of your personal brand as a Learning & Development Professional and keep learning!