Summary: Achieving goals is quite different than just setting them. So while the first step may be to set the goals you really want, then we have to prioritize our actions from high to low. What is the most important thing that I need to do in order to get there? Because generally, you can come up with a dozen or a hundred different things that you're going to need to do to reach your goals. But there's probably one to three things on there that are going to be more important than the other 97.<br> <br> <br> <br> David: Hi, and welcome to the podcast. In today's episode, co-host Jay McFarland and I will be discussing achieving your goals. Welcome back, Jay.<br> <br> <br> <br> Jay: Hey, so glad to be here, David, and once again, I'm looking forward to this discussion. We hear people talk about goals all the time, and I know for me it's something that I struggle with because what will happen is I'll set those goals.<br> <br> I really haven't defined how I'm going to get there, and then when I don't achieve them, it becomes something that deflates me. So I think for a lot of people, goal setting can work against them.<br> <br> David: I think it can too, because I believe there is a lot of focus on goal setting, and it's something that we do, particularly at the beginning of a new year.<br> <br> A lot of people focus on their new year resolutions, which are their goals. And while there's been a lot written about goal setting, the importance of goal setting, writing things down, reviewing it regularly, having your affirmations and things like that.<br> <br> All of those things are certainly helpful, but they don't actually, directly connect to the idea of achieving the goals. And that's why I wanted to title this the way that I did, because setting your goals has been done to death, but how do we go about achieving it? And I think it's interesting to explore that aspect of this topic.<br> <br> Jay: Well, yeah. And one of the things that frustrates me is, when people talk about goal setting, they tend to assume that everybody's the same.<br> <br> Oh, just follow this and you're great. It's like, I read seven Habits of Highly Successful People and what was never mentioned or considered in that was, it was also seven habits for highly organized people already.<br> <br> You had already achieved a level where all you had to do was put these things in place and you're good.<br> <br> Well, what about me? I wasn't raised with systems and those kind of things, so what about me? I didn't feel like there was any place that I could implement that.<br> <br> David: Yeah. And that is very common. I mean, I think everyone probably deals with that because unfortunately, when you're writing a book that's going to be on a shelf for a long period of time, you have to include things that are essentially timeless.<br> <br> And the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I mean, it's such a great book. It's a very inspirational read. But when you've got rules, like "Be Proactive," that's a big, broad rule, right? And. In many cases you can be proactive, but what does that mean? It gets down to the nitty gritty.<br> <br> And we've talked in the past about Michael Gerber, the author of the E-Myth. And I love that book.<br> <br> The E-Myth, The E-Myth Revisited. I read the original copy a long, long time ago, and I just loved it. I'm like, okay, because this was all about processes. And that book talked primarily about the fact that you have to have processes.<br> <br> But then what are those processes, right? Because that's the part that people like you and I need. It's like, okay, well what are the processes and how do I do that and how do I make that happen?<br> <br> And so, so much of my career has been focused on that. Okay, how do I turn this great recommendation, "be proactive," you know?<br> <br> Jay: Yeah.<br> <br>
