The intention of my blog is not to be thought provoking; it is to be change provoking. Lots of consultants and authors are thought provoking unfortunately thoughts don’t help you create better results. It’s a start but thoughts alone are not enough.
Speaking of thoughts, every New Year 88% of adults create resolutions only to experience the same frustrating results false starts and failure. In fact 60% of resolution makers fail by the end of January. There is a better way. Instead of making resolutions, set goals.
Resolutions fail because they are often unrealistic unattainable unclear and they lack a detailed daily plan of action. Properly set goals on the other hand can help you make life changing breakthroughs.
Take for example the typical New Year’s resolution of getting back in shape. What usually happens is that after a couple weeks you stop going to the gym for a multitude of reasons like: it’s too cold to work out I’m sore I’m too tired I’m too busy I didn’t sleep well last night I have too much work and the list of excuses goes on and on. Before you know it you’re back at square one and nothing has changed. A resolution is thought provoking. A well set goal with a plan is change provoking.
Now, here is the secret to go from being a goal setter to a goal getter… The pain of not doing it must exceed the pain of doing it. Whatever your goals are for 2013, be sure to add this component to them; create a commitment contract and enlist the help of an accountability partner. A commitment contract is a contract that binds you into achieving a personal goal. www.StickK.com is a great online accountability community that I highly recommend for this.
Incentives + Accountability= Success
Before New Year’s, I had a goal setting meeting with my mentor where I handed him a list of four goals. One which I will share with you; “I will lose 20 lbs. by Friday March 1st at 8 am”. Since he is too nice to take my money, I have set up my accountability in the form of a consequence payment through www.stickK.com to what is called an anti-charity. (An anti-charity is an organization that you hate and DO NOT support.) Per my commitment contract, I’m required to submit a weekly report to stickK.com each Monday prior to 11:59 pm indicating that I have succeeded in my weekly fitness goals. If I fail to uphold my fitness goals or my weigh-in does not yield 1.5 lbs lost each week the funds are automatically transferred to the anti-charity at midnight that night. If I achieve my weekly goals, I keep my money. NOTE: People who add a financial incentive are TWICE as successful in achieving their goals.
This is actually neither extreme nor uncommon; in 2007 the Boston Red Sox put a weight incentive clause in Curt Schilling’s contract. It was a one year, $8 million deal that included $2 million in incentives if he met weight requirements.
You don’t need StickK.com to begin making changes. You just need to set a goal, make it public, set a deadline, and add a consequence an accountability partner and some cheerleaders to support you.
Here’s how that would work:
The off-line version of a commitment contract and accountability partner would involve finding an accountability partner, telling them your goal asking them to help you and giving them a check for a $2000 (or whatever amount will hurt you if you lose it). Explain to them that you will report back to them every day at a set time with a progress report on your goal and on the day you don’t report back to them they are free to cash the check and spend the money. This way on the days you don’t feel like working out dieting or doing whatever it is you set out to do the thought of the potential pain of not doing it will remind you and motivate you to just do it. Remember: The pain of not doing it must exceed the pain of doing it.