Goal Setting
Module 3: Polish Your Toolkit

Welcome back to The Ultimate Goal Setting Guide.

Now that you have already taken positive actions to take you closer to your Goal, you are well and truly on the way to achieving it.

One of the things that will help you is what I call a ‘double G and T’ – that is your Goal Getting Toolkit.

Part One

Your goal getting toolkit

No need to rush to the local DIY store – you already possess the tools you are going to use!

You have them at your disposal right now. True, some may be a little rusty from poor usage and I suspect you might not even be aware you have them, or that you carry them with you all the time. Your Goal Getting Toolkit is the amazing best qualities and skills that are a natural part of being you. They make up your thoughts, feelings and actions.

You can be anybody you choose to be!

When Jennifer Lopez started out she was just another pretty actress and singer struggling to make it in Los Angeles. Now she is a gorgeous, sexy multi-million selling recording artist and movie star who is in control of her career and acts as a powerful role model.

Who was she and who did she want to become? Perhaps she polished up on disciplined exercise, healthy eating, learning her craft and re-thinking her daily routine.

Once you have identified what is in your tool kit, you’ll be able to see what is missing and what’s not working as well as it could and could do with brushing up. If you are not sure about what your tool kit must contain, have a look at Fiona’s book ‘Be Your Own Life Coach’, and think about the question ‘Who do I think I am and who do I need to be?’

Part Two

Don’t accept limitations

It was believed for a long time that it was not physically possible for humans to run a mile in less than four minutes. However in the 1960′s a runner called Roger Bannister blasted through that four minute barrier.

His greatest tool was his total focused belief that he could do it.

What was more amazing is that in the year after his record-breaking run, 25 other people also broke the record! Previously this had seemed impossible, but Bannister’s success helped other runners to step ‘out of the box’ which restricted their thinking.

We all know the saying, ‘a bad workman blames his tools’. It’s the way some people think that they can be excused their shortcomings by blaming something else, so that it’s not apparently their fault. Often these people are hiding feelings of inadequacies and uncertainties and fears which centre around low self-esteem and low confidence in themselves. Of course, you’re not like that, or you wouldn’t be here!

Polish your skills

Before you can polish your tools you need to have identified what’s in your tool kit. Last week one of your actions was to make a list of the things that are great about you and that you are good at. These things will give you a big clue as to what’s readily being used in your toolkit.

Once you know what is working and in use, ask yourself if it’s enough to achieve your goal. Perhaps you still need to upgrade your self confidence to get that promotion, or polish your self esteem to move on from relationships that are not working.

Part Three

Focusing on you

Whoever you are and whatever you want, you have in your toolkit three essential tools. These are self-knowledge, self-confidence and self-belief.

Self-knowledge

Self-knowledge is a very special tool, because only you are the expert on yourself. When you know who you are and who you choose to be you can focus with clarity on ensuring that your own needs are being catered for. This will make you happier and energised and you’ll naturally be able to bring your goals into reality. It will allow you to raise your awareness of what can help you to get the results you want.

Self-confidence

Self-confidence is another magic goal getting tool. When you have polished this tool you will not only know what you want and think positively, but you will now know that you try your best at all times.

Self-belief

Self-belief is like the super twin of self-confidence. When you believe that you are worth it and you deserve it with true inner optimism you will create solutions where others wallow over obstacles. Those who do not polish their self-confidence and self-belief set themselves up for failure.

That won’t happen to you because you know that playing safe and staying in your comfort zone is a safety blanket between you and your Goal. With unshakable self-belief you are armed against any attacks of stalling thoughts of fear of failure.

There is nothing selfish about being self-focused.

It’s a necessary part of evolving into something better and greater. People who care about themselves and put themselves first to nurture their wellbeing find inner fulfillment and naturally move towards helping and inspiring others.

Part Four

Start right now

Now you are ready to polish your goal getting tools, how do you begin? It’s easier than you think.

Becoming confident is a skill you can acquire by using a new language to create a new way of expressing yourself. Like all skills, practice makes perfect, so practice it often and with purpose. Begin now. Choose this moment as the turning point in creating a better toolkit.

Focus on self-care. Take actions to ensure you are supporting your physical well being through exercise, adequate sleep and healthy eating. Take actions to stop you slipping into negative thinking patterns, whether they involve your thoughts or those of other people. Believe in yourself even if those around you don’t.

Remember Roger Bannister – he had no supporters who believed he could break the world record. Refuse to settle for anything less than that which will support you 100% in getting your goal.

Part Five

Use your time wisely

Over the past two weeks; you’ve started to use your thinking tools of clarity, focus, understanding, creative thinking and planning. This week you’ll begin to use time wisely to take actions which will polish your tool kit.

If you feel that you currently lack confidence, time, energy or money, then work on polishing your mental tool kit. Begin by polishing the way you see things. If you want more confidence, focus on getting more confident every day.

If you need more time, first remind yourself that everyone has exactly the same amount of time down to the last second, so look at what you do with your time to create more freed-up time. A good way to do this is to ask yourself, ‘Is this the best use of my time right now?’ By constantly doing this, you’ll begin to raise your awareness of the way you live your daily life.

Action!

Actions of the Week

1. Look at your list of qualities and skills you wrote last week. What tools do they represent in your Goal Getting Toolkit? For example, if you are good with people, your tool might be communication.

2. Make a list of all your tools, under the heading My Goal Getting Toolkit. Underline your best ones. What other tools must you acquire and polish up to get your Goal?

3. Write down one way you will acquire or polish the tools you want to improve

4. Each day this week, take two actions to polish your tools.

For example, if organisation is one of your tools, schedule in a day when you will be super organised. You can begin with simple everyday things like organising your evening meal before you leave for work, planning your television time, by only switching on when there is programme you want to watch.

If you want to boost your self esteem, schedule in time for a new haircut, have your nails done, if you want to learn a new skill, go and visit a library or book shop after work, look at the courses on offer.

If you want to be more confident, choose three days in the next week when you will live as though you have more confidence than you did the day before.Take the initiative, be the one who organises the next social get together.

Do your actions and continue to look for inspirational words and pictures that support your Goal, because next week you’ll be doing something fun with them!