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Why Launching Into Action Too Soon is Limiting Your Success

17 March 2016

Successful goal pursuit is determined by what happens immediately after you set your goal. Amplify

your success by delaying action and instead promoting your goals to well-formed outcomes.

When execution isn't everything

You've connected with the vision. You've set a meaningful

and inspiring goal. You're feeling hugely motivated. But

it's what happens next that determines the success (or

otherwise!) of your goal pursuit.

We might instinctively say that action is the next, crucial,

success-defining step. And yes, to some extent: "execution is

everything". But a headlong rush into immediate action

can have negative consequences too.

To improve your goal pursuit, there is an intermediate

step.

Goals vs. Outcomes

One of the great benefits of working with a professional

coach is the offer of a positive counterbalance to that

desire to launch into immediate action; and instead,

challenge the thinking thus far to develop the goal into a

yet-more complete and well-formed outcome.

The difference between a goal and an outcome may not

be obvious at first - but it is significant. A goal is what we

want, whereas an outcome is what we get. And whilst

our outcomes are always the result of our actions, they are

not always what we desire.

So armed with (the beginnings of!) your goal, spend some

thinking time fashioning a well-formed outcome with the

following thoughts – and then into action!

Establish your baseline criteria

Of course, there are some baseline criteria to establish. I'm

sure you have these, but here's a quick check.

State your outcome in positive terms. We want to

move towards something positive, not away from

something negative. (The unconscious mind cannot

process negatives.)

Be as specific as possible. Make your outcome as

vivid as you can. Make it "real", right from the start.

And if it's a larger outcome, break it down into

smaller parts that are, at once, manageable but still

stretching.

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Have access to resources. A realistic assessment of

whether you have, or can get, the resources you

need: both internal and external.

Ensure the outcome is within your control. State

your goal in a way that means you can get it

yourself, no matter what other people may do.

Introduce sensory-based language

Enrich your vision and make your outcome more "real" by

introducing sensory-based language to your goal. Ask

yourself:

What will you see/hear/feel when you achieve this?

Have your success criteria include a sensory-based check.

Spare a thought for the status quo

Very often, there are hidden benefits to the status quo.

And when we find ourselves not achieving our goals, it

might be the lure of the current benefits. After all: all

behaviour has a positive intention. Ask yourself:

What will I gain when I achieve this outcome?

What will I lose when I achieve this outcome?

Look for the hidden benefits of leaving things as they are.

And then enhance your new outcome by looking for

ways to maintain those current benefits.

Check the ecology of your outcome

"Ecology" is about taking into account the effect of any

change on the system of which it is a part. And every

change has a ripple effect, no matter how small. Your

thinking job is to consider the extent and cost of these

effects. And whether your outcome fits with your sense of

who you are and what's important to you. Ask yourself:

What will happen if you achieve this outcome?

What won't happen if you achieve this outcome?

What will happen if you don't achieve this?

What won't happen if you don't achieve this?

Think deeply about the advantages and disadvantages of

following a course of action. And ask of your outcome: if I

had it, would I want it?

Outcome sequitur (or more simply: what happens next?)

After you achieve your outcome:

What will you do next?

What will this lead to?

What will it do for you?

Our goals are usually steps along the way to more long-

term effects. Exploring the follow-on consequences of

actually having achieved our outcome can helps us be

sure this is what we really want.

Take 100% responsibility

It's tempting not to take 100% responsibility for our goals.

That way: if it doesn't work out, we can always blame

someone else. But of course, goals take commitment. And

when we accept 100% responsibility for our results, we

move ourselves into possibility, potential and achievement.

So write down your goal. Date it. And sign it. And now

tell someone who doesn't already know about your goal.

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Define the first step

The final part of developing a well-formed outcome is to

define that first step - but now armed with a well-formed

outcome, not an ill-formed goal. Once again, be specific:

What precisely will you do?

When, precisely, will you do it?

Make Action #1 something meaningful, but not (quote,

unquote) "big". This is about setting the momentum more

than anything else.

Putting well-formed goal pursuit into action

Well-formed outcomes are a significant step-up from goals.

From here, you might like to take one or two of your goals

and experiment with the ideas above. Do they still apply

and in the same ways, once you've tested and tuned them

for well-formedness?

The well-formedness challenge is also a helpful way to

think about outcomes when helping others work on and

achieve their goals. How might you introduce some of this

thinking to your work with your team, clients and

colleagues?

Dan Beverly is a leadership and performance coach helping high-calibre, high-

performing professional women embrace the pivotal career moments.

His mission is to inspire possibility in others: to help us excel in careers without

compromise; and to leave us feeling energised and uplifted by a new future.

Go online to book your complimentary “Session Zero” with Dan – and start

capitalising on your pivotal career moments today.

http://danbeverly.com/session-zero

