Much difficulty of achieving goals can easily be attributed to making goals way too broad, not realistic, not time bound, not measurable, and even relatable. Using the SMART Method, however, is not the end all, solve all solution that will help you achieve what is necessary. What are you doing to not only hold yourself accountable, but what can you do to break down the tasks into manageable, bite-sized pieces to show that you can, and were, making progress? This episode explains the problems in today’s busy world with managing big endeavors, but to demystify this process to create, engage, and deliver on what you set up for yourself.

Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/

Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support

Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

2

determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

3

This is Speaking From The Heart.

4

Joshua: Welcome back to episode

117 of Speaking from the Heart,

5

and I know what you're thinking.

6

Another episode of goal setting,

trying to solve problems, and so much

7

more is in store for today's episode.

8

Not.

9

We're not going to cover that.

10

We've covered it so many different times.

11

Matter of fact, I could go on and on and

on about SMART goal development: Specific,

12

Measurable, Actionable, Relational,

Time bound, but even with all of those

13

things said, even if you wanted to try

to be relational, realistic, whatever

14

you want to fit into those acronyms,

because you noticed that I said it wrong.

15

It's not about just

SMART goal development.

16

It's not about having all these

solutions so that we can make

17

our lives magically different.

18

It's about really understanding, "Why,

oh why!", even with all the goals set and

19

working with all the coaches of the world,

you still are not making any progress, and

20

yes, I've had clients that also come in,

we think that it's going to be some sort

21

of magic formula, and it's not quite what

they expect it to be, because it's the

22

hard work, it's the dedication, it's the

time after time of being successful that

23

makes them truly successful, so in today's

episode, I don't want to talk about SMART

24

goal methodology and how you go about it.

25

What I want to talk about is how you can

break down all these things into small,

26

manageable, bite sized pieces so that

you are able to make that progress, so

27

that you are able to see the light at

the end of the tunnel, and you will be

28

able to see some of the best results

that you've ever seen in your entire

29

life, but it's not as easy as just making

goals and putting them down on a sheet

30

of paper, maybe even analyzing who you

are and trying to figure out what really

31

works best, and I have to laugh at

some of the other coaches that do this.

32

It's not just about setting goals.

33

It's not just about these quick plans

that you can do in 60 or 90 days.

34

Sure.

35

If you want an intense, penetratable

sort of goal that will be able to be

36

accomplished in no time flat, spend

your 3,000 to 5,000 dollars in hiring

37

one of those coaches, but if you really

want to have a long term success, why

38

don't you put 3,000 to 5,000 dollars

in a year of working on your goal?

39

Now that starts to become a little

bit more manageable, and, you're able

40

to take it one small step at a time.

41

We can easily be dismayed

though, because we have all

42

these things that we have to do.

43

"Well, I got to do the

dishes today, Josh."

44

"Oh, well, something else came up, Josh.

45

I can't really work on that today,

or tomorrow, or even the next day."

46

"Oh, you asked me to do that, Josh?

47

I totally forgot to do it."

48

I've heard every excuse in the book

at this point, and I've only been

49

doing this for a little over a year.

50

I get it!

51

You are not paying attention.

52

You do care, but the problem is

you have the lack of motivation

53

to carry through, so I hear you

out there, ladies and gentlemen.

54

It's not just about what you

are doing as those time pushes

55

that we've talked about even in

productivity episodes on this podcast.

56

It's about how you holding yourself

accountable when you need to be

57

accountable for everything that you

do, and I think one of the first things

58

I have to talk about without even any

hesitation, because I have this problem

59

myself, is making sure you have the right

environment to be able to be successful.

60

Environment in itself doesn't always

mean though that you have to win

61

and win and win in these sort of

walls that you set up for yourself.

62

It means you have to find a place, that

little spot, whether it's at the dining

63

room table, maybe it's at an office that

you rent, maybe it's in the most busiest

64

coffee cafes that you could ever find.

65

We all thrive in different environments.

66

I've seen people even drive RVs all

across the country to work on their

67

self development, and if travel is your

game, I'm here to stay, but you have to

68

realize that these sort of environments

are the reasons why we are thriving,

69

making ourselves so successful, to be

able to achieve greatness when greatness

70

comes from being and thriving in the

places that we enjoy being the most,

71

so if there's anything that you get out

of this episode, make sure that you're

72

creating the right environment and

the right attitude for yourself within

73

that environment to be successful.

74

There's no time to be playing games.

75

There's no reason for you to

have distractions by your phone.

76

Turn all of it off and focus.

77

Nowadays, computers have the ability to

have you focus in 30 minute sprints at

78

minimum to be able to do that, even less

time if you need that time, to be able

79

to do small tasks, but when we talk about

these big, hairy, audacious goals, or

80

BHAG if we like to call it short, we have

to realize that these are things that we

81

don't do one bite sized piece at a time.

82

It means that we have to manage the

expectation of eating that big piece

83

that we're taking off that elephant,

but sometimes the managing of the

84

expectations means that we have to

have the right tools alongside us.

85

I see it all the time in which

people fail and I do this myself.

86

I fail because I brought the

wrong tools to the table.

87

When I needed to have a

fork, I brought a knife.

88

When I brought a plastic fork and also

a plastic knife, I should have had a

89

real knife because the things I was

going to cut were not going to be cut

90

by some sort of dingy plastic material

to be able to eat, but I think that we

91

have to understand if we're ever going

to make progress, it means that we have

92

to learn that not just the environment

matters, but the tools that we bring.

93

If we're not able to bring the right

tools, whether we have to borrow them

94

from somebody else, we have to buy them,

or even get a loan to buy them, we have

95

to be able to put the right investment

of tools into the right perspective.

96

I'll give you a perfect example.

97

One of the things that I always wanted

to work on in my business, especially

98

starting out, was having a number of

workshops, and I always failed at doing

99

it because when you start out, you never

realize how much, uh, work is involved

100

with everything that you have to do, so

I had all these workshops, but I never

101

got them off the ground because one thing

after another started: having clients,

102

being able to do interviews with other

people that were coming in as clients.

103

The consultations along with the

administrative burden became to

104

be way too much starting out.

105

Now I've gotten a lot better about

my processes and learning as I go

106

along, which is always the value of

being a small business owner, but when

107

you're developing, even yourself for

that matter, manage your expectation,

108

even with all the tools, with all the

environments that you are creating.

109

Do not overdo it.

110

When you start to realize that when you

take these microchasms of things that

111

you need to work on, and you work on

them very diligently to the point that

112

you feel satisfied with it, that's when

you know that you're making progress.

113

Now, I already hear you.

114

You're saying to yourself, "Hmm.

115

That's fascinating, but how

do I know when is too much?

116

I'm terrible at managing

those expectations."

117

It's sometimes a trial by error,

and every time that you do it, it's

118

going to be a little bit different.

119

What you might be able to do in a

30 minute sprint one day, you might

120

need about an hour to do in the

next day, and it might be because

121

of the way that you're feeling.

122

It might be the weather outside.

123

It might be other things that

you're asked to do, whether it's

124

at work or at some other capacity.

125

There's all kinds of factors, so I always

encourage, take the maximum time that

126

you need to be able to work on those

things, but don't overdo it either.

127

If something as simple as setting up

a Word document so that you're ready

128

to type your next novel takes you four

hours, that's not managing expectations.

129

That's why I always think it's important

to have a coach to work alongside.

130

They'll be able to help you with

understanding not only the importance

131

of focusing and creating that

meaningful content that you're trying

132

to develop, whether that's physical,

mental, or social, or cultural.

133

It also gives you an

accountability partner.

134

Oh yes, there's wonderful people in your

life that are going to hold you to the

135

fire and ask you why it was never done.

136

I know that for many people, the aspect

of working with somebody that you do

137

not know is the most scariest thing.

138

What if they take my ideas?

139

What if they don't really deliver

on what they're promising?

140

Even more importantly, what if they

never show up, and I've had people

141

that have been working with me for

so long that they have been committed

142

to continue to work on themselves.

143

Sometimes they're more of a struggle

over others, but they still get

144

the job done once they realize that

they have been working on themselves

145

and being more intentional about

the time that they're utilizing.

146

Oh yeah, time.

147

Heh heh.

148

I'm sure you probably were thinking

about that too, as I got so much to

149

do and so little time to do it in.

150

What makes you think that I'm going

to be able to make any progress,

151

because that's why I'm not making

progress in the first place.

152

What do I do about that?

153

I think that goes alongside of your

environment, and having the right

154

tools, and managing your expectations.

155

When you love doing something

that you really want to do,

156

you will make the time for it.

157

You will find that time will never

be enough to be able to do all the

158

things that you want to accomplish,

but when you figure out that time is

159

on your side, and that time is yet a

fleeting concept, but also the ability

160

in which we manage our productivity

can make such a big difference, then

161

you start to realize that time It's not

just the thing that might stand in the

162

way, it can become your best friend.

163

What I mean by that is, when you

love something so much, just like

164

I love doing this podcast and I

love working on my business, Your

165

Speaking Voice LLC, I start to enjoy

not just what I do on a daily basis.

166

But I also start to enjoy

working with others.

167

It allows me to enjoy what I have

forgotten about life, and what its magical

168

powers can do to help me in my physical,

my mental, all the other things that

169

are important in my overall development.

170

I've been on many podcasts, even on

other shows for that matter, that have

171

expressed this concept, happiness.

172

Being able to see your authentic self,

which ironically enough, other people do

173

the same concept, or is it not so ironic,

but even people that dig deep into the

174

psychology of what's really involved,

and I think of Michelle Wolfe, which

175

I hope Michelle's listening to this.

176

I've recently been on her show

talking about the struggles as a male

177

relating to even figuring out what

are some of the things that hold me

178

back from reaching my true potential

and why I want to work with others.

179

that want to seek the same.

180

Our stories are so intertwined.

181

They create some of the best values if

we're just willing to stop and listen

182

to what other people's experiences are.

183

In other words, if you really are

struggling, 9 chances out of 10, someone

184

else has been struggling with it too.

185

I guarantee you, you can find a blog,

you can find a podcast, you can find

186

somebody close to you that will be able

to work with you to figure out what

187

are some of the struggles that stand

in your way of not making progress.

188

Now, I joked about earlier, starting out

with this episode, about the importance

189

of goals and really, maybe they shouldn't

have mattered today, but let me revisit

190

that subject now, because one of the

things that you might have realized is

191

that if you don't have the right plan,

none of this will come to fruition, and

192

that's what this is really all about.

193

If you have the right plan in

place, if you have the right tools,

194

you have the right environment,

you have the right mindset, you

195

have the right accountability,

you are going to make progress.

196

Things happen for a reason and such

is life, but when you make life

197

an excuse over and over again, are

you really going to continue asking

198

yourself, "Why am I not making any

progress?", the title of this show?

199

I think that you would understand

that maybe, just maybe, you need to

200

stop giving yourself excuses, and

start giving yourself deadlines.

201

The big endeavors that we have in our

life don't have to be this big mystery.

202

We can create a process for us

to create, engage, and deliver

203

what you set up for yourself.

204

It's just a matter of setting up those

expectations for yourself, and holding

205

yourself accountable to it, whether

you need somebody else's help or not

206

is totally your choice, but the choices

that we make in our lives really dictate

207

the success that we're able to create.

208

If you're too broad, you're never

going to get to where you need to be.

209

If they're not time bound, you're

never going to meet those expectations

210

of where you're trying to get to.

211

If you're not realistic about it, or

maybe even real about it for that matter,

212

you are never, ever, ever ever going to

leave fictional world, and be stuck in

213

a whole platitude of different things

that you always wanted to accomplish.

214

If you're not measuring, you're not

succeeding either, but even if you were

215

relatable, having the relationships

with someone to be able to hold you to

216

that accountability factor that you need

to have, can make such a difference.

217

There doesn't have to be this big

mystery sauce that you have to

218

consume in order to figure out that

goal setting and goal achieving can

219

be attributed to not only helping

yourself grow, but to prosper as well.

220

Don't let yourself be held back from your

ambitions, your desires, your dreams,

221

because you think that there's some

artificial wall that stands in your way.

222

The wall that stands in your

way might be something that

223

you created a long time ago.

224

And it's time now to revisit whether that

wall should have ever been erected in the

225

first place, and if you can't easily tear

that wall down, get someone to help you.

226

Any sort of coach, any sort of

facilitator, anybody that works in

227

the realm of trying to overcome those

fears, are somebody that you should

228

become friends with, and very soon.

229

Even if you can't do that right now,

look at yourself in the mirror and ask

230

yourself, "What is holding you back

from being the most beautiful person

231

in the world to be able to achieve what

is necessary for you to be successful?

232

If you can break down those things

into not only the opportunities

233

of a lifetime and make them small,

manageable, bite sized pieces, those

234

BHAG goals, or those goals that have

looked very big as an elephant, start

235

to break down a little bit further.

236

One of the last things I'll talk about

is the fact that behind me, in my

237

very office in which I meet with my

clients, is a picture of an elephant.

238

The picture of the elephant has many

words that make up the drawing, the

239

illustration of what the elephant

looks like, which, the elephant is one

240

of the wisest, one of the strongest

mammals that ever walked the earth, and

241

yet, at the same time, mammals, like

elephants, are often looked at as big.

242

They cannot be taken down.

243

They are very noble creatures.

244

I think that each and every one of

you are elephants, and that every

245

time that you walk across this earth,

you are nurturing and helping others.

246

That's why I have that elephant behind me.

247

It's always looking over my shoulder

and looking at you, every time

248

that you're able to accomplish

some of the best things that you

249

could ever accomplish in your life.

250

All it takes is just changing that

mindset, having the determination

251

and having the confidence to keep

moving forward, and oh yeah: creating

252

that environment to be able to do

the same, because let's face it,

253

why you're not making progress?

254

It's simple: you letting your own

self get in your own way, and you

255

letting other people tell you the same.

256

Stop making excuses.

257

Start leaning into what you know is

the truth, and when you lean into the

258

truth, nothing is impossible to achieve.

259

Thanks for listening to episode

number 117 of Speaking From the

260

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart, very soon.

261

Outro: Thanks for listening.

262

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

263

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

264

Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

for more information about potential

265

services that can help you create

the best version of yourself.

266

See you next time.