Can you believe it? We are almost 1/12 through 2024! So, it's time to check-in. How are you doing on your goals and resolutions? Tremendous? So-so? Are you already checked out and waiting for 2025? If so, never fear; there's still time to finish this month strong and enter February triumphantly!
I'm a project manager at heart. Early on, I learned I could solve any issue by strategizing a plan and dedicating the right resources. One of my favorite ways to accomplish the tasks associated with my goals is called "chunking," where I break down significant milestones into smaller, more manageable ones. For those of you who have heard the phrase, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time," this is the truth in execution.
All goals are achievable if you can break them down into actionable steps. We don't leap to the top of the ladder. We climb it one step at a time. We've got to set goals to achieve all the tremendous things in store for us in 2024.
In his book Inner Rival: Silencing the Negativity Within, author, speaker, and sports coach Jeff Butorac discusses the importance of setting goals correctly. Goal setting, used by Olympic athletes and trainers, is "arguably the most effective performance enhancement technique in the behavioral sciences." You can check out my interview with Jeff here.
Jeff explains, in goal setting, three primary types of goals can significantly impact your mindset, motivation, and chances of success. The first type is Outcome Goals, which involve striving for a specific result, such as winning a game or achieving a certain weight. While these goals are essential, they often depend on external factors. They can be influenced by elements beyond your control, like luck or external decisions.
The second type is Performance Goals, which offer more control over your success. Examples include shooting a high free-throw percentage or maintaining a consistent writing schedule. Focusing on personal performance rather than just outcomes increases the likelihood of achieving your overall goals.
The third and most crucial type is Process Goals. These goals define the daily steps you need to take to reach your desired outcomes or performance levels. They are entirely within your control, such as practicing free throws or regularly working on specific tasks. Achieving process goals builds self-confidence, as each success boosts your belief in your abilities and propels you toward even more challenging goals. Process goals serve as essential stepping stones toward your larger objectives.
Now that we understand the different levels of goal-setting, I want to share my favorite productivity hack. It's so simple yet genius! It's called the Ivy Lee Method.
The Ivy Lee productivity method is a simple yet highly effective approach to accomplishing tasks and achieving goals. Much like the three types of goals mentioned earlier, the Ivy Lee Method emphasizes prioritizing and focusing on what truly matters. In this method, you start by listing the six most important tasks you need to accomplish the next day. This aligns with setting performance and process goals as you identify specific actions that move you closer to your desired outcomes. The beauty of the Ivy Lee Method lies in its commitment to tackling these tasks in order of priority, focusing solely on one task at a time until it's completed. This mirrors the notion of concentrating on personal performance rather than solely fixating on outcomes, ensuring that you have control over the execution of these tasks.
By applying the Ivy Lee Method with goal-setting principles, individuals can enhance their productivity and increase the likelihood of success. This method encourages a disciplined approach to daily tasks, leading to more extraordinary accomplishment and self-confidence as you consistently achieve your process goals. As you become more proficient at managing your time and attention, you'll find that the Ivy Lee Method complements the establishment of outcome, performance, and process goals, helping you focus on what truly matters while steadily progressing toward your ultimate objectives.
Want to learn more about Ivy Lee? Check out our life-changing classic, Succeeding With What You Have by Charles Schwab. Ivy Lee was a pioneer in the field of public relations and worked as a consultant for various companies and individuals in the early 20th century. One of his most famous clients was Charles M. Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, one of the largest steel producers in the United States at the time.
Ivy Lee's work with Charles Schwab involved helping him and Bethlehem Steel improve their management and communication practices. The Ivy Lee Method I mentioned earlier was one of the productivity and time management techniques he shared with Schwab and his company. It emphasized prioritization and focus on essential tasks aimed at increasing efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
So you have two days until 1 February to grab these two gems and get to work! You can do it, and we are here to cheer you on. Here's hoping your 2024 is beyond productive and your goals surpass anything you've ever imagined!
