By Michael Costello
Things around us change all the time. Hardware and software upgrades abound. And to keep pace with life we need to change as we go. Our thinking. Our skills. Our beliefs. Our lifestyle. Everything.
We need to do more than adjust our lifestyle to the seasons of the year. Or to roll with the punches that life throws at us. This will help us to get by. And if you wish to settle for that then read no further.
To get the most out of life we need to reinvent ourselves. And to do so now if we are to be ready for the next wave of change that is coming our way.
If you have any doubts about the wisdom of giving yourself a make over, consider how well placed you would have been ten years ago if you knew what you know now. Had the skills you have now. And the expertise you have now.
Identify what you need to change
Do you want to lose weight, stop smoking, drink less or exercise more? Most people want to do one or the other of these things. And try as they might, they almost always fail to make the change they desire.
If one of these changes is high on your list then ask yourself, “are they the real problem in my life?” Jules Evans tells us that we use our habits to help us to cope. The truth is that when we smoke, drink, overeat or under exercise it only makes things worse for us.
DonÂt be misled by these symptoms. Get at the real problem. Identify it and deal with it. This is the real change you need to make. Only then can you move ahead and make the most of your future.
Possible candidates
Make a list of ten possible hidden causes of any unhappiness and anger you experience. The unhappier you are to put something on the list the more certain you can be that it should be there.
Take your time. When you have ten issues, narrow them down to five. Then four. Three. Two. And finally settle on one. Sleep on it for a few days. If it is the right one you will know it for certain. Even if you do not feel happy about it.
This is what you need to change. And you will not be able to move forward until you do so. As I discovered when I identified a lack of purpose was the key issue I needed to address.
Change tactics
Allow yourself plenty of time to change. Any worthwhile change takes two months or so to become a habit. We need to put a well thought-out support system in place to see us through this habit-forming period.
Set yourself a goal. A ÂS.M.A.R.TÂ goal. One that is Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic and has a Time frame. This will give you a target to aim for. A standard to measure the progress you make. And it puts your change project on your personal agenda.
Go a step further and set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) for yourself. For example, my BHAG is to ÂWrite one world class post for my Personal Development Blog every week. Which I have about a 50% chance of achieving provided I manage to acquire the knowledge and skills I need to raise my performance to this level.
A BHAG can inspire you. It raises the goal out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. Gets you to think big. And to focus on acquiring the knowledge, skills and other resources you need if you are to have a chance to achieve your goal.
Do you have a BHAG or SMART goals? Share yours in the comments and we’ll keep each other accountable!