Goal setting has become a widespread new year preparatory practice. However, the majority of people never achieve their goals. So, don’t set new year goals. Instead, get desired results by being someone who can move successfully from where you are now—Point A—to where you want to be in a year—Point B.
In the The Motivation Manifesto, Brendon Burchard writes, “Action is the yardstick of character.” Indeed, your consistent actions reveal the kind of person you are. And who you are “being”—your identity—creates your personal destiny.
However, you can change your destiny by intentionally changing your character. Be someone different in the new year—someone capable of taking actions that get you from Point A to Point B. When your actions align with your new way of being, you will find it easier to arrive at your desired destination.
12 Steps to Becoming the Person at Point B
I recently took the members of the Inspired Creator Community through a 12-step process that will help you become the person at Point B now. It asks you decide where you want to be 12 months from now and who you need to be to ensure you get where you want to go in that time frame.
To go through the process, answer each of the following questions in a journal:
- What do your actions in the last 12 months say about you—who you were being (your identity) or your character? (Ex. I was being selfish. I was angry. I was focused and productive. I was healthy. I was lazy.)
- What would you like to do in the new year that aligns with your best self or vision of who you want to be? (These are the actions that define your character and which lead to the results you desire, which you could call goals. (Ex. I would like to write consistently daily and complete a book. I would like to run six times per week and be in shape to run a marathon. I would like to increase the number of people in my membership to the point where I have tripled my income. I would like to join a dating app and meet my soulmate.)
- Who do you have to be to get from Point A—where you find yourself right here and now—to Point B—where you want to be in 12 months? (Ex. I need to be productive. I need to be committed to the result I want to achieve. I need to be a healthy eater. I need to be a good money manager. I need to be open to a new relationship. I need to be a giver.)
- Make a list of all your perceived failures from the last 12 months. Note: There are no failures, just lessons learned from life experiences. “Failure” is your interpretation of an outcome. (Ex. My launch didn’t attract even one buyer. I earned less than the year before. I didn’t keep up with my diet and gained 10 pounds. I didn’t write consistently. I got a divorce.)
- Who were you being when you experienced those perceived failures? Note: This is who you do not want to be in the new year. (Ex. I was being someone resistant to marketing. I was being an overspender. I was being a junk-food eater. I was being a procrastinator.)
- Make a list of all your successes from the last 12 months. (Ex. I attracted five new private clients. I doubled my income. I began intermittent fasting and kept it up all year. I wrote 500 words per day, six days per week.)
- Who were you being when you achieved those successes? Note: This is who you do want to be in the new year. (Ex. I was being a social media influencer. I was being a good businessperson. I was being health conscious. I was being a writer.)
- What lessons did you learn from your successes? (Ex. When I am visible on social media, I attract clients. I increase my income when I have a business strategy and carry it out. When I am health-conscious, I eat healthier and work out consistently. I can develop a writing habit if I’m committed to my dream of becoming an author.)
- Who do you need to be to get from Point A to Point B this coming year? Note: You need to have the character of the person who is at Point B already or expand on the actions that made you successful in the past. Identify or describe who that person is—and remember who you were being when you achieved success. (Ex. I need to be a visible social media influencer. I need to be a good businessperson. I need to be committed to my health. I need to be a writer.)
- Were you the person at Point B in any situations last year? If so, that means you already have that character or identity—even if not consistently. You now need to have that character, take those actions, or her that person more frequently and consistently. (You might refer to Step #7 at this point.)
- Identify three words that describe the person you will be (or need to be) at Point B. Then, explain why each of the words is important to being that person. Remember, the person at Point B is already taking the actions that allow them to get desired results. That’s how they got to Point B. And they have a character or identity based on their actions.
- Use your three words as a daily reminder to be the person they describe. Put them on sticky notes or in your phone as reminders. When you see the notes around your home or the words pop up on your phone or computer, take a moment to ask yourself, “Am I being that person right now. Have I been that person during the day? Am I living as the person at Point B?” For instance, if your words are “committed, courageous, and health eater,” you would ask yourself, “Am I being committed right now? Was I courageous today? And did I eat a healthy diet today?” You could even have that last word prompt scheduled as a reminder at meal times.
If you do not embody those characteristics, it’s time to change your behavior or actions. As you do so, your character will change, and you will be that person more often. Eventually, you will live as the person at Point B and achieve the results that person can create.
Why? Because you will be that person.
Have you ever focused on who to be in the new year and found that doing so makes it easier to get desired results? Tell me in a comment below. And please share this post with a friend or on social media.
If you want to increase your ability to create desired results, let’s chat. Get on my calendar here. Or join the Inspired Creator Community for group personal and spiritual growth coaching every month.
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