Choose the life that is most useful and habit will make it the most agreeable ~ Francis Bacon
Get your goal sheet out
Please refer to the goal setting series before you begin this process. Before attempting to accomplish any objective you have to clearly define the desired behavioural patterns that will help you accomplish these goals. Why is this paramount?
Let me cite a simple example. You would like to set a target to save and invest money to achieve a desired goal of having a net worth of 500,000 dollars in three years. This will require you to save approximately 10,000 USD and invest it or channel it to a business that will help you realise this target. You have to determine key routines that will help you accomplish your targets. The first and key behavioural pattern to cultivate is thrift, the other routine to cultivate is diligence followed by patience. You will also have to identify the habits that will act as deterrents to the achievement of this goal.
Key among them is over indulgence; laziness, impatience, lack of self control. Why is this process critical? No matter how good your goals or intentions are on paper they cannot be turned to reality unless your goals, values and behavioural patterns are aligned
Goal-habit interface
The goal-habit interface is very important and is overlooked when we all set out to accomplish goals or any endeavour. A habit is a tool you should use to accomplish your goals effortlessly.
It’s like engaging a gear that automatically shifts you to the right path and way needed to accomplish any task. Now do the same for all your goals and you will realise that this is what has been missing in your goal setting process.
Why do Human Resource departments worldwide use the key word aptitude? Why because they realise there are key aptitudes and skills desirous to accomplish certain jobs or tasks. You have to also use the same approach when you want to accomplish a task or achieve a certain objective.
You have to be in the right mindset, have the right habits and discipline to achieve certain desired objectives. Why does the military subject it’s recruits through harsh training and indoctrinate it’s recruits to a certain core set of values. They recognise the serious business of war and the ethos a warrior needs to succeed in the battle field.
You should also apply the same rigor to approach your own goal setting. Without the same sense of purpose and discipline you will not make it through the myriad set of obstacles you will face as you try accomplish your goals.
More Examples of Goal-Habit Interface
Bill Gates the Microsoft founder is an individual who has accomplished what a majority of us will never accomplish in most of our life times .
He is the epitome of a great capitalist but he’s key behavioural trait is one of INDUSTRY AND DILIGENCE. Bill Gates has the ability to focus and persevere. His work ethic is second to none. He’s legendary work days compromised of 18hrs to 20 hr work shifts. He hardly took any vacations to take Microsoft to the pinnacle of the software industry a feat which stands to this day.
He realised early enough that in order to accomplish his mission of achieving number one status in the industry he had to put in the necessary effort to get Microsoft to the position it finds itself in at this point in time. He literally sweated blood and tears to get a non entity beat the existing software and computer giants of the day.
The habit of complacency had set in with the major giants and this cost them dear and some were wiped off the face off the software industry.
Some of the greatest athletes ever also embraced the same work ethic of INDUSTRY AND DILIGENCE. Haile Gebrselassie the Ethiopian great distance runner embraced this habit all the way from childhood. He used to run 10kms each day to and from school and gained the necessary stamina and will for long distance races.
Name any champion athlete from Michael Jordan the basketball star to Roger Federer the tennis star their work ethics are usually second to none. They distinguish themselves by embracing the necessary behavioural traits to accomplish their objectives.
John Paul the second will go down as one of the greatest popes ever. He knew what his objectives were to instill courage, ethics and enduring values to his flock by example. To achieve this he walked the talk. He embraced all the values we expected from a pope.
Humility, integrity, honesty are some of the virtues he had but most of all COURAGE to stand for what he believes. He faced down the communist regime in Poland and helped bring about freedom in his home country. These examples bring to life the Goal-habit Interface
Revisit your Goals once more
In summary go back to your goals sheet and revisit it once more. What goals and dreams do you want to achieve. What are the key habits you will embrace to achieve them? Ensure you get this exercise right.
Achieving great goals is not a simple walk in the park you will have to raise your personal standards to achieve your goals and dreams.