Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 51 seconds
TODAY’S IDEA: Four Stages of Achieving a Goal
— From The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
“The best visions are big ones,” say Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington in their wonderful book The 12 Week Year. And they go on to say, “All of the great accomplishments of mankind from medicine to technology to space travel to the World Wide Web were first envisioned and then created” via the four stages of achieving a goal.
At this point, you’re probably wondering what are those four stages are…
Impossible. Possible. Probable. Given.
Every single big goal goes through these four stages of accomplishment.
When we dream big, sometimes feels very uncomfortable, as we don’t know how on Earth we will be able to achieve such a thing. That is the impossible stage. Asking How? at this stage is the wrong question because it’s too early in the process.
“The fact that you don’t know how to do it creates the perception that it is impossible, at least for you…” But if you think it’s impossible you will get stuck on that thought. Thus, the authors advise not asking How? and, instead, changing the question to What if?
“By asking What if?, you give yourself permission to entertain the possibility and begin to connect with the benefits… [Thus] you begin to shift from impossible to possible thinking.”
So, ask What if? at this initial stage, and imagine the possibilities: “What would be different for you, your family, your friends, your team, your clients and your community?” It’s a very powerful question!
Once you start seeing and believing that your goal is indeed possible, “Then you begin the shift from possible to the next level: probable. You make this shift by asking the question we avoided earlier: How might I? How is not a bad question; in fact, it’s a perfectly good question, but the timing is critical. Ask it too early and it shuts down the whole process, but once you see your vision as possible, the question of how is an essential one.”
The last stage to fulfill a vision or a goal is moving from probable to given. “This shift happens naturally as you begin to implement the planned actions. Given is a powerful state of mind where any question of doubt is gone and, mentally, you are already standing in the end results. As you see the results start to materialize, your thinking shifts almost automatically to given.”
And there you have the four stages of achieving a goal. I’m sure if you think back to something that is a given in your life now and trace it back to its original thought you can see how you went through these four stages. Keep that in mind the next time you think something is impossible, because nothing is.
Cheers to you accomplishing your goals!
ACTION
TODAY: Dream big! Set a goal for yourself that seems impossible. The authors’ challenge is to “dream big and imagine true greatness for yourself. Your vision should be big enough that is makes you feel at least a little bit uncomfortable. […] All of your big personal accomplishments must also be preceded by big visions.”
FUTURE: When envisioning your future, set big, hairy audacious goals and then go through the four stages to turn them from impossible to given.
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