It can be a struggle to commit to goals, especially during these tough and somewhat demotivating times of lockdown, fighting the spread of Covid-19.
Let’s just pause for a moment and take a break. Make yourself comfortable, grab a cuppa and read on. I’m about to share some of my coaching tips to better commit to goals, by adding a sense of ADVENTURE.
Inspired by the Assess, Plan, Do and Review Cycle, often used in educational and change management systems, I’ve created a revised model to help you reach your goals, with 4 steps to commit to them, applying a more adventurous approach.
Success stories often involve a degree of hard work and struggles, and high achievers are willing to tackle whatever it takes to live their dreams. Some prefer a walk in the park than a climb up Kilimanjaro but what makes the hardest target more appealing is the challenge factor.
The positive stress: The eustress of adventure-based activities.
THE 4-STAGE ADVENTURE MODEL
As a life coach I regularly witness clients feeling lost or overwhelmed on their journeys to their goals. When we lose momentum, or times get harder and the excitement wears off , it’s tempting to throw in the towel.
Whether you’re just starting on a brand-new project or you are stuck in the midst of a big mission, I encourage you to flow through these coaching tips.
1. KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT
Get clarity of vision. I know, it’s easier said than done. But we don’t like easy, do we?
Know what outcome you are actually seeking. You may not know exactly how you’ll get there at this stage, but get to know where you want to get to and why. The clearer your why(s), the easier to commit. Your real motivator may be well-hidden beneath the original outcome.
To identify what you want, what you really really want, dig deeper into your ambition. Write out your goal on a piece of paper (or on your screen) then ask yourself: “what will I create with this, once achieved?”. Answer as honestly as you can and continue exploring deeper, repeating this same question for each new answer you come up with, until you uncover your real drive.
When you tap into that drive, you unleash your why. Your vision becomes clearer and you activate a stronger pull towards it.
2. CREATE A PLAN WITH CURIOSITY
When it comes to drawing up your strategic plan of action, turn up your curiosity level.
Think big when identifying what resources and methods are available to you. Explore outside of what you already know. Equally, be open to new opportunities as you navigate through the unknown.
Curiosity calls for vulnerability of not knowing all the answers and sparks up the desire to want to know more. Expand your expertise by showing up as an explorer. When drawing up your action plan, don’t be afraid to ask questions, listen attentively and look into places you’d never been before. Curiosity will expand your exploration field and open new doors of possibilities.
Trusting this process can attract amazing new “hows”. Surprise solutions and connections you couldn’t imagine possible.
3. DO IT LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING
Your path to your goal is your adventure.
Move forward like no one is watching. Judging you. Set aside temptation to compare progress with others or worry about what they may think. Do it for you. If you start experiencing negative assumptions, they’re likely produced by your protective mindset, which can unintentionally play against you rather than support you.
Remember, some of the most successful ideas were deemed foolish until proven otherwise by their adventurous creators.
If you’re unsure where to start from, work your action plan backwards from target-date to present day. Split your timeline into daily, weekly or monthly sections and starting from your last section, assess what needs to happen in each period for you to reach your goal. This exercise helps prioritise actions and identify what’s most urgent and important.
4. CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
Make time for self-reflection.
Avoid feeling trapped by adopting an exploratory approach to your journey. Regularly check-in with yourself to assess where you’re at, how far you’ve come and where you’re going. Monitor your progress with kindness and review your onward journey with flexibility.
If something you’ve done worked well, celebrate it. If it didn’t work out, be kind to yourself and grateful for the lesson learnt. Find ways to do things differently.
Don’t get too attached to original visions and plans. Prepare to venture into new directions, and check out new paths you couldn’t possibly envision from the start. Reflection plays a key part of any transformational, adventure-based journey.
COMMIT TO GOALS WITH ADVENTURE
Adding adventure to your pursuit to your goals makes the experience all the more exciting, and make you feel more and more courageous as you navigate through it. And courage builds confidence.
Every step of the way is a step forward from where you started. You can’t go wrong. Each step can either propel you onwards or offers an opportunity to learn a new lesson or to re-direct you to a better way or place.
During the restrictive and difficult times of lockdown, stay committed with these 4 coaching tips:
1. Know what you really really want, what it is you’re truly seeking,
2. Plan your adventure with an open-mind. Don’t be restrictive and instead be curious,
3. Take action with playfulness, don’t let self or others’ judgement stop you from living the dream, and
4. Check in regularly to stay on track or revise your journey.
I hope this adds value to your pursuit to your goals or inspires you to identify new adventure-driven ones. If you’re not yet disciplined enough for self-coaching and prefer to experience the benefits of a coach, get in touch.
To book an online coaching introduction or session, click on here: Coaching Programmes
