Local experts share tips on being successful
By Ashley Reams Dunn
News Editor
DATELINE — The New Year is traditionally a time to reflect on the past and look toward the future.
Many people set goals that they hope to achieve as the year progresses. Resolving to reach an objective is easy, but following through and realizing that objective is where some people fall short.
In order to successfully attain your goal in 2010, you first have to be very specific about exactly what you want to accomplish, according to Dr. John Loblack, PhD, a life and career coach with Goalmind Coaching and Consulting LLC in Wesley Chapel.
For example, he said, if you want to save a lot of money, come up with a dollar amount. If you want to lose weight, come up with the amount of pounds you want to shed. Set a deadline — when must this goal be achieved? Creating a detailed goal helps to hold you accountable.
Make sure you are able to measure your progress toward your goal, Loblack said. If you want to run a marathon by the end of 2010, you can figure out how many miles you have to run each week or month in order to build your strength and endurance. If you want to lose 100 pounds by December, figure out how much weight you need to lose each week or each month in order to attain that goal.
Ensure your goal is attainable. Can you really run a marathon? Can you really drop 100 pounds?
“A lot of people have too high aspirations,” said Nancy Perdue Griggs, a life coach and counselor/therapist with Land O’ Lakes-based Life Improvements LLC. A goal should be challenging but not impossible.
Make certain that your goal is relevant and something that you really want, Loblack and Griggs both said. Does your goal fit into your lifestyle? If you want to exercise for an hour a day but work full time and take care of a family, working out for 30 minutes a day might be more realistic.
Be able to write your goal in one sentence in the present tense and include the deadline, Loblack said. For example, if your goal is to save $1,000, write: “I am saving $1,000 by Dec. 31, 2010.” This will make your goal very clear.
Think about how your life will be different once you achieve your goal, Griggs said. If you want better cooperation with your children or spouse, think about the rewards, such as increased communication, more time spent together or less stress. Conversely, also think about what will happen if you don’t reach your goal. If cooperation doesn’t improve, you might have a total loss of control or a change in your living environment.
“When people are seriously setting up a resolution, what is the pain if they don’t complete it, and what is the benefit if they do complete it,” Griggs said.
Also, think about three obstacles you might encounter that would prevent you from reaching your goal, and then decide what you can do to overcome these obstacles, Loblack said.
Rewarding yourself on your way to reaching your goal is also helpful, Loblack said, because rewards can keep you motivated. If you’ve gotten to the gym like you planned to all month, go see a movie or do something else that you enjoy. Be careful not to sabotage yourself though.
“If you want to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with ice cream,” Loblack said.
On the other hand, think about what you’re going to do if you don’t get to the gym like you planned, for example.
“You have to be disciplined to do the things that you have to do to reach your goal,” he said. “You must take ownership.”
Having an accountability buddy, or someone who will hold you responsible if you don’t meet your goal is also helpful, he said.
“A goal is a promise,” Loblack said. “You make a promise to yourself. You should keep it.”
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What is a life coach?
A life coach is a person who helps his or her clients achieve their personal goals and overcome obstacles that may arise during the process of attaining those goals.
Dr. John Loblack, PhD, is a life and career coach who owns Goalmind Coaching and Consulting LLC in Wesley Chapel. He has his doctorate in organizational leadership and said he enjoys helping people realize there is more to life than what they have accepted.
“I always wanted to help people move from where they are,” he said.
Reach him at (813) 994-6558 or (813) 751-6458.
Nancy Perdue Griggs is a life coach and counselor/therapist who owns Life Improvements LLC in Land O’ Lakes, and helps clients around the country via phone. She is a Board Member for the Tampa Bay Professional Coaches Association and for the Suncoast Mental Health Counselors Association. She said she likes that coaching is action-oriented and helps people make positive changes in their lives.
“If all else fails, then you can always collaborate with a good coach,” she said.
Reach her at (813) 390-9245 or ">.
