The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. That’s why banks rely heavily on a credit scores. Its also why obtaining those often elusive goals is so dang hard. So how can you create change? Here’s the 3 Critical Elements To Accomplish Anything!
A Written Goal
I mean a compelling and specific written goal with a due date. By compelling I mean something you want to achieve and you know why you want to achieve it. To simply say you want to “read the bible through” or “lose 10 pounds” doesn’t carry enough weight (pun intended) to get you to actually change your behavior. You have to have a compelling “Why” or reason for moving in the direction of your goal. Keep it positive. Focus on what you want to gain and not what you want to lose.
A Solid Strategy
My good friend Mark Cole defined strategy this way. “If your goal was to occupy Normandy your strategy might be to use the air force the navy and the marines for a simultaneous attack.” Don’t confuse your strategy with your goal. For example: reading the Bible through is probably a strategy more than a goal right? By reading it we want to have something happen. The goal might be to go deeper into a personal relationship with Christ or to live by faith in a specific area where you’ve struggled.
The thing I like most about Mark’s example is that its people centered (the military God bless them). Your strategy should be heavily people centered too. The words of Jerry McGuire should be your mantra when you’re developing your strategy “Who’s coming with me”. For accountability? Sure. But also because a goal isn’t worth achieving if it doesn’t help other people in some way right? Bring somebody with you.
Vital Behaviors
In the book “Influencer: The Power To Change Anything” the authors reveal the concept of Vital Behaviors. A Vital Behavior is a high-leverage action that will directly lead to the results you desire. Vital Behaviors should also meet the following criteria:
1. Each one should be a behavior and not a result
2. Each Behavior should be measurable and repeatable.
You’ll also want a way to measure these behaviors. Over time you can’t rely on you memory to tell you whether or not your engaged with these behaviors. You need to be able to see the evidence as well as show it to the people coming with you.
Change happens through what you do daily. Change your behaviors and you’ll change your results. And yes, failing occasionally comes with the territory. Let failure motivate you not define you.
Earl Nightingale said “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal.” Notice his definition doesn’t say obtaining your goal but progressively realizing it. The moment you write your goal down and begin to implement the strategy and vital behaviors you are living your definition of success!
Pastor, do you have goals associated with your call? Are there people and behaviors that need to come around what you’re trying to accomplish?
Thanks Rich, a useful post. I particularly liked, “Change happens through what you do daily” . Now that is something worth noting!