Don’t focus on the goal? What are you talking about?
A couple of my friends have found that getting a project started in and of itself is crippling. They have these different passions to go and change the world and made a commitment to do it.
That? Easy. (Well, easy once you find that driving force.)
But then came the nitty-gritty which is where we see motivation nearly evaporate.
This is all theoretical speak. Let me give you an example from what I am experiencing right now.
I’m taking over finding content creators for ChurchMag Press and trying to take it from crawling to running this year. I want to see this thing have success so I’ve already bought it. Now to work out the details, but oh my.
First, is to get something out ASAP. It needs to be quality, but I feel a bit under the gun with it. Thankfully we have something that will be slated very soon.
But what about next month? I don’t have anyone lined up for that. An e-book takes months to write, then you have to edit, and prep the marketing. I don’t have any more resources in my back-pocket to just whip out.
I could look at this as 11 more months I have to fill up with creators and products, or I can break it down.
Break A Goal Into Action Steps
One big goal has so many action steps that need to be defined. I need to break this one big goal down. Here’s what I come up with.
- Identify needs for ChurchMag Press.
- Create a good pitch.
- Begin recruiting within those needs for people that could say yes. Ask five people by tomorrow.
- Secure one new project. Keep asking five people a day until it is secured.
- Inquire from each person who says no for at least two leads.
- Create a due date timeline and contract.
- Repeat.
- When you hear that someone has reached their due date, figure out next steps.
Forget the Goal or Change It
The goal itself should be the thing you think about in the morning when you head to work and the last thing you do when you evaluate what you have done for that day. But the other 7 hours and 55 minutes of your workday should be solely focused on the action steps of the goal until it is fully achieved.
Too many times we are looking at the big pie in the sky that we stumble walking up the steps to success, we get lost in the woods and become overwhelmed, or any number of clichés you want to add here.
The goal maybe set, but we may change it depending on if the goal was attainable and realistic. The only way to find this out? Do the action steps and then reevaluate the goal in a few weeks or months.
Honestly, focus on the individual steps it takes to get there. No marathon runner can be successful if these don’t take the steps months before to train. No orchestra will be able to put on the performance of a lifetime without clear practice schedules. And a blogger, communication director, or pastor needs to break down their message, craft it, edit it, and polish it before they publish it or preach it to the world. These are all action steps that lead to a bigger goal.
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