Life Coaching

Knowing what you want Successful people have taken time to think about and define what they want in their lives. Successful people have taken time to think about and define what they want in their lives. Everybody has the talent to achieve their own definition of success; few have the discipline to achieve it. Everybody has the talent to achieve their own definition of success; few have the discipline to achieve it. Success does not mean having lots of money, although that is often how we measure it. Success does not mean having lots of money, although that is often how we measure it.

Achieve success Before you can achieve ‘success’ you must know what it is. Before you can achieve ‘success’ you must know what it is. Your definition of success must be personal Your definition of success must be personal You must have an end in mind. You must have an end in mind. You must know where you are starting from. You must know where you are starting from.

Where am I now? Take time to answer the following questions: What do I enjoy doing? What do I enjoy doing? Why do I enjoy these things? Why do I enjoy these things? What don’t I enjoy doing? What don’t I enjoy doing? Why don’t I enjoy these things? Why don’t I enjoy these things? What are my strengths? What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What are my weaknesses? What makes me happy? What makes me happy? What makes me sad? What makes me sad?

Defining success Ask yourself the following: What do I want this year? What do I want this year? What do I want in the five years? What do I want in the five years? What do I want in my lifetime? What do I want in my lifetime? Some day, when I get time, I’m going to…. Some day, when I get time, I’m going to….

Motivators 1.Status 2.Power 3.Material rewards 4.Autonomy 5.Expertise

Motivators (continued) 6.Creativity 7.Affiliation 8.Search for meaning 9.Security

Assessing the risk Are you prepared to pay the price of success? Are you prepared to pay the price of success? Pain, hard work, discomfort, conflict, loss, setbacks, struggle, time, money etc Pain, hard work, discomfort, conflict, loss, setbacks, struggle, time, money etc If it was easy everyone would do it. If it was easy everyone would do it. If you are not prepared to pay for the price, reconsider your definition of success If you are not prepared to pay for the price, reconsider your definition of success

Ask yourself: What do I stand to gain? What do I stand to gain? What could happen if I fail? What could happen if I fail? Could I cope with the worst consequences? Could I cope with the worst consequences? What will I learn? What will I learn? What would happen if I took no action? What would happen if I took no action? Are there any possible alternatives? Are there any possible alternatives? How can I increase my chances of success? How can I increase my chances of success?

Commitment To achieve your definition of success you’re going to have to be committed. To achieve your definition of success you’re going to have to be committed. How committed are you? How committed are you?

Commitment – examples: Beethoven wrote the world’s greatest music when he was deaf. Beethoven wrote the world’s greatest music when he was deaf. Milton wrote the greatest literature when he was blind. Milton wrote the greatest literature when he was blind. Winston Churchill flunked sixth grade and several college courses. Winston Churchill flunked sixth grade and several college courses. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and couldn’t read until he was seven. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and couldn’t read until he was seven. Helen Keller became deaf, dumb and blind shortly after birth. Helen Keller became deaf, dumb and blind shortly after birth.

Why you should set goals To achieve your definition of success you need to set goals. To achieve your definition of success you need to set goals. Successful people set goals. Successful people set goals. Really successful people write them down. Really successful people write them down.

Why people don’t set goals If they do not achieve them, others will think they have failed. If they do not achieve them, others will think they have failed. If they do achieve them, others may not like the way they have changed. If they do achieve them, others may not like the way they have changed. Setting goals means leaving their comfort zone. Setting goals means leaving their comfort zone. Goals move them towards things they would rather not deal with. Goals move them towards things they would rather not deal with. They are afraid of what they might get or might lose. They are afraid of what they might get or might lose. They fail to plan, but always plan to act…. someday. They fail to plan, but always plan to act…. someday. They think dreams are the same as goals. They think dreams are the same as goals.

Make them measurable You can write goals to help you: Achieve your personal definition of success Achieve your personal definition of success Satisfy your ideal roles Satisfy your ideal roles Satisfy your motivators Satisfy your motivators

Your goals should be: Written in the present/positive tense eg: ‘I am…’ ‘I am…’ ‘On dd/mm/yy I will …’ ‘On dd/mm/yy I will …’ ‘By dd/mm/yy I will have …’ ‘By dd/mm/yy I will have …’

SMART goal setting Specific Specific Measurable Measurable Achievable Achievable Relevant Relevant Time bound Time bound

Specific Be clear about what you are trying to achieve. Be clear about what you are trying to achieve. This will ensure greater focus and increase the likelihood of success. This will ensure greater focus and increase the likelihood of success.

Measurable Have some measure of what you are trying to achieve. Have some measure of what you are trying to achieve. How much? Of what? How much? Of what?

Achievable To motivate you, the goal must be achievable but stretching.

Relevant Your goals must be relevant to you. Your goals must be relevant to you. You are more motivated to achieve a goal on your own. You are more motivated to achieve a goal on your own.

Time bound This links to measurement. This links to measurement. When will you achieve this goal? When will you achieve this goal? Be specific dd/mm/yy. Be specific dd/mm/yy.

Three at a time Review all your goals and select the three most important ones. Review all your goals and select the three most important ones. To retain focus and increase the likelihood of success only work on three goals at a time. To retain focus and increase the likelihood of success only work on three goals at a time. In order to achieve these long-term goals you need to break them down. In order to achieve these long-term goals you need to break them down.

Work out your: Definition of success Definition of success Long-term goals Long-term goals Medium-term goals Medium-term goals Short-term goals Short-term goals Daily tasks Daily tasks

Goal setting – daily activities Imagine you have not achieved your goal and ask yourself what you could have done differently. Imagine you have not achieved your goal and ask yourself what you could have done differently. Then write down what you wish you had done. Then write down what you wish you had done. Transfer these daily activities into your planner/diary. Transfer these daily activities into your planner/diary.

Goal Achievement Goal achievement is not a theoretical process that you can learn from a book. Goal achievement is not a theoretical process that you can learn from a book. It is a process requiring ACTION…. It is a process requiring ACTION….