Dear Readers,
This is the second in a series of goal-related columns. Last month, I encouraged readers to define goals in SMART, positive, and picture - able language. This month' s focus is on common goal barriers or constraints - and how to overcome them.
Let' s start with organizational constraints. The three most common are throughput, operating expense, and investment, according to Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt. In his remarkable book, The Goal, he identifies five steps for organizations to take:
1. Identify the foremost constraint: What is getting in the way of achieving our goal?
2. Decide how to exploit the constraint: How do we get the most through this constraining element so that we can achieve our goal?
3. Subordinate all other processes: How can we align our entire system around exploiting that constraint?
4: Elevate the constraint: What major changes are need to break the constraint so it is no longer a constraining element?
5. Return to Step 1: Has the constraint been removed? If so, where is the next one that needs the entire focus of the organization?
The constraints and barriers for individuals differ somewhat from organizations'. You might, for instance, have a personal narrative that locks you into a particular perspective that does you and others a disservice - even if it once proved true and valuable.
Here are some common goal barriers for individuals:
Doubt
Self-betrayal
Negativity
Distraction
Poor Communication
Inflexibility
Shortsightedness
Single-mindedness
Habituation
Which of these will you need to overcome in order to attain your goal, and why?
It's impossible, of course, to predict every barrier you might face, but the more planning you do in advance, the more prepared you will be when an obstacle surfaces or the environment changes.
Map your moves, so that doubt is replaced by courage, self-betrayal by trust, negativity by positivity, distraction by clarity, poor communication by effective communication, inflexibility by flexibility, shortsightedness by vision, single-mindedness by open- mindedness, and habituation by innovation.
To better understand what I mean by "map your moves," let' s look at some specific examples.
1 . If you're susceptible to doubt or self-betrayal, ask a coach, colleague, and/or family member to support you;
2 . If you're concerned about distractions, phrase your goal in absolutes or "all or nothing" language;
3 . If you're a creature of habit and have a tendency to be single-minded, set aside time for brainstorming and prioritizing before your day gets out of control:
Stop Doing (Trade-offs)
There's a limit to what one person can do. Chances are that you're at, near, or over that limit already. In order to add and achieve new goals, it's unrealistic for you to keep doing everything you've already got on your plate.
In order to do something new well, you need to stop doing something else.
The activity or behavior that you give up may be Idle Time, TV Time, Exercise, Work, Family Time, Reading, or Computer Time. In the abstract, this decision might be easy. Of course you'd rather attain your goal than watch TV. But can you? Remember that TV time or idle time often serves an important purpose - relieving stress. Bear in mind, too, that many of our habits or pursuits are addictive and, as such, hard to break.
Be honest with yourself. What are you really prepared to give up? And how much? Picture your desired end-state. It's attainable, but only if you're willing to make some sacrifices. Answer the following two questions and you'll have a sense of how to proceed and how much the goal means to you:
1. What are you willing to stop doing to make the goal happen?
2. What are you not willing to give up, and why?
According to Napoleon Hill, "The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat."
If you want to achieve a goal - as an individual or organization - you must act upon your desire by putting all of your focus on overcoming barriers or constraints.
Gary |
