“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”
Oh, the places you’ll go by Dr Seuss
Ah the sweet satisfaction of setting a goal.
Ideas are flowing. Inspiration and motivation are sky high and the anticipation of the adventure ahead has your whole body buzzing as you imagine,
Oh, the places you’ll go!
But before you get too excited and start your ambitious trek up that mountain, take a moment to add this critical piece to your goal execution plan.
Most people neglect this step because we were never taught to consciously do this, but don’t skip it!
This was a game changer for me.
Consider the places you’ll stop.
I’ve learned that if I want to actually accomplish a goal I need to be really clear about all the things that could, and likely WILL, try to stop me so I can decide in advance how I’ll handle them.
I love hiking. If I’m honest, though, I’m a pretty fair weather fan.
I’m usually not diehard dedicated, which means there are a lot of things that will stop me –
bitter temperatures, rain…MOSQUITOS!
(I mean, c’mon. It says QUIT right in the name).
Imagine my husband, Rob, asks if I want to go hiking on Saturday and I say yes, but what I really mean is, “yes, if it’s not too cold.”
If we wake up on Saturday morning and it’s too cold for me, I may feel obligated to go or he may feel disappointed if I refuse.
When we first set an intention we’re inspired.
We’re so excited we feel unstoppable.
It can be hard to imagine anything knocking us off course when we feel this energized.
This is actually the perfect time to consider your stops – what may pop up and cause you to slow down or stop?
I mean, let’s be real. We all have big intentions about going places, but to actually put one foot in front of the other and climb that mountain, we need to get really clear about what obstacles have the potential to take us out.
I’ve found that if I take the time to anticipate and pre-plan my response when I’m really excited and committed to my vision, it becomes much easier to stay the course when things get tough and I’m emotionally overwhelmed or mentally depleted.
This foreshadowing also helps me get clear on just how committed I am to the vision in its current form. With this clarity I can be honest with myself, and others, which can help avoid shame and guilt later.
Considering all the places I will be tempted to stop allows me to consciously CHOOSE if I want to allow those obstacles to stop me.
I could choose to say,
a) “Hiking sounds fun, but I don’t want to go if it’s cold so let’s make a backup plan.”
b) “I usually don’t like to hike if it’s cold, but let’s get out there no matter what.”
If I pre-decided to go for it, then I would not entertain the idea of bailing out just because I’d have to brave the frost.
Instead I’d make sure to have all my cold weather gear easily accessible in case I needed it come Saturday.
Get clear on what has the potential to derail you and then DECIDE how you want to respond if/when the situation comes up. Set yourself up for success by having what you need ready to go.
Once you’ve decided, keep your promise to yourself and follow through on that decision.
Recap:
- While you’re excited and fired up about your vision, ask yourself what might come along that could stand in your way, slow you down or stop you. (Here are 8 common stopping points to get you started.)
- Be honest about how committed you are to moving beyond each of those obstacles.
- Brainstorm ways to keep moving forward if/when each of the obstacles presents itself.
- Keep putting one foot in front of the other and enjoy the ride…Oh the places you’ll go!
XO
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