Last time, I blogged about how the new year is the closest thing we get in life to a “do over.” I discussed how our 7 F’s of True Success model is a simple, handy template for making the most of this do over and achieving success in and out of your office.
It’s important to have a workable plan of action that allows you to reach interim goals as you work toward long-term success. Small successes add up to eventual big wins and help you feel good about yourself during the process. Trust me on this.
Setting goals can be tricky, as evidenced by a coaching session I had last week.
One of my longtime clients came in and announced that he had just joined a hip, local gym and started a new exercise routine a few days before. He also mentioned beginning a new vitamin supplement program, and he was on his second day of a fasting/reduced-eating regimen.
He was fasting the day we met for our coaching session. “All I can think about is food,” he said, as he reached for another piece of my sugar-free candy.
He was jittery, distracted and hungry, to say the least. His situation reminded me of a story another of my clients once told me about his wife.
Just like now, it was the first of the year, and this woman had decided to stop smoking, start exercising and begin eating healthy foods. She began on a Monday, after throwing out all the junk food in the house the night before.
My client’s wife had smoked for more than 20 years, so quitting was challenging. That first day without a cigarette made her anxious and jittery, but she was committed to making this New Year’s resolution a reality. Her family knew to steer clear on this first non-smoking day; she had tried quitting many times before. She started her exercise program on the morning of that very same day.
Day two was tough also. She awoke sore from the previous day’s exercise. At breakfast, she snapped at the kids and ignored her husband’s usual “goodbye, honey.” That evening was even worse. She was antsy, irritable and frustrated, and everyone knew it. And yet, still committed to change, she went for her second day’s walk in the neighborhood. Her family was upstairs (and out of her way) when she got back.
Day three began as a waking nightmare. She and her husband got into a big fight over what normally would’ve been nothing. She yelled at the kids to get up. By lunch, she was over-the-top irritated with everything and everybody. She came home from work that evening as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.
After another fight with her husband and more yelling at the kids, she got in her car and drove to the nearest convenience store where she bought a pack of cigarettes and a big bag of potato chips. Within 30 minutes, she was back home smoking and eating and relaxing on the back porch—her hopes for a healthier, happier new year had been kicked to the curb.
Today’s point is this: Change is good, but too much change too soon isn’t necessarily so. I’m nervous for my current client with his extreme, total-life change. I don’t want him to flame out like the woman I was just talking about.
Be realistic as you set your goals. Be patient with yourself. Start off small. Aim for little wins, and be proud when you achieve them. Those small victories are the steps to your ultimate, overall success. This is how you do what you do better.
If you’d like a copy of our 7 F’s of True Success template, simply email Briana at briana@corsini.com and she’ll email you the template and a sample completed version as a guide.
Next time, I’ll share a successful goal-setting story.