Challenge Yourself

There’s been a lot of talk  about goal setting on Me Amoeba lately. I blame two things. I believe that significant change requires a clear vision of where you want to go and how you intend to get there–both of which can change during the pursuit. Due to this belief, I’ve been test driving a personal achievement program. It teaches you how to set reasonable, measurable goals and, then, how to manage them. I’m really excited about it. The following video represents a fraction of what the 100 Day Challenge is about …   

With complete certainty, I can say that every one has set, at least, one personal goal. It’s human nature; we want to excel, test our boundaries, and live more fulfilling lives. But many of us do not have the tools to follow through in achieving our goals.

I was am skeptical of most items – except books – and services sold on the Internet, which included said program. I accepted the 100 Day Challenge as researcher and Guinea pig. I wanted to know if others, my people, would benefit from such a program. And admittedly, with starvation on the horizon, I thought I could use some guidance with my current pursuits: changing careers, addressing a few bad habits, increasing running speed and muscle tone, starting a float plane business, going to school, working towards publishing three books, and launching two Websites. . . . I have not been disappointed.

In fact, I think every one could benefit. There are tools and directions for setting goals — Yes, there is a right and a wrong way. Goal setting strategies are widely available on the Web, and a Me Amoeba version is in the works. But it’s relatively easy to set goals; the hard part is succeeding. What makes this 100 Day Challenge attractive is the constant attention, motivation, and support from Gary Ryan Blair and the community of challengers.

A motivating video and/or audio file greets you each day with a lesson, typically a new strategy for success. An accompanying forum lets you discuss the lesson and share insight. The most beneficial exercise I’ve found, however, is the implementation of an “after action review.” These have help with the tricky follow-through part of a goal. Each week I can assess what went right or wrong. In identifying trends I can change my intended actions, how I’m measuring success, and even rewrite the goal if need be. It’s pretty innovative.

Look for a short video later this week on setting SMART goals.

Tagged as: Goals, Motivation, productivity, Self Improvement, Success, Tools