Risk & Business Magazine General Insurance Services Spring 2020 | Page 19

GOAL SETTING
• Outcome: The ideal result,
hopeful conclusion, best end
for your goal.
• Process: The skills you need,
the method required to get you
there.
Before I give you some examples,
let me explain the science behind
the Outcome + Process approach.
Zimmerman et al. trained
participants to throw darts. They
split them up into three groups.
Group #1 was told simply to get the
highest score possible (outcome).
Group #2 was told to optimize the
process of being a good dart thrower
by bringing their arm back, adjusting
the angle of the throw and having a
firm grip (process). Group #3 began
with the process of throwing, and
then once they had mastered the
skills, were switched to focus on the
outcome (process + outcome).
The participants with the outcome
goal performed worst! The process +
outcome participants got the highest
scores by far.
Next, let’s look at the intentions you
set in Step #2. I want you to write
down the skills, process or methods
you need to achieve those outcomes.
For example:
• Business: Level up my business
efforts so I can reach and help
more people.
•
• Hire a marketing agency.
Friends: Set aside time to
support and reach out to
friends more regularly.
• Join an exercise class with
friends. Plan a weekend
getaway.
• Family: See family more often
and dedicate real time to
connect and catch up.
• Plan a family reunion that
happens on the same holiday or
holidays each year.
• Personal Passions: Learn how
to paint and spend more time
reading.
• Buy a painting book. Get
suggestions of 10 books from
friends.
•
Spiritual: Start meditating to
create mental space and slow
down at the end of a workday.
• Get a meditation app to remind
yourself before bed.
• Health: Get more toned and
increase your endurance.
• Buy a weight set and sign up for a
boot camp.
STEP #4: IDENTIFY BLOCKERS
When we first set our goals we are super
optimistic and filled with hope–and
that’s great. One thing that happens,
however, is we fail to identify possible
blockers. I want you to get real with
yourself for a moment and answer these
questions in your Goal Worksheet:
• What logistical constraints might
make it difficult for you achieve
your goals?
• What behaviors might make it
difficult for you to achieve your
goals?
•
Vanessa Van Edwards is lead
investigator at the Science of
People—a human behavior research
lab. She is the national best-selling
author of Captivate: The Science
of Succeeding With People , which
was chosen as one of Apple’s Most
Anticipated Books of 2017.
She writes a monthly column on the
science of success for Entrepreneur
Magazine and the Huffington
Post. Her original research has
been featured in Fast Company,
Cosmopolitan, TIME, Forbes, INC
and USA Today. As a human
behavior hacker she runs original
research experiments on topics
such as the science of leadership,
human lie detection, body language
hacks, the psychology of attraction
and successful people skills at
ScienceofPeople.com. Vanessa has
been asked to discuss her innovative
work on CNN, CBS Morning news
and NPR. She has also consulted for
a number of Fortune 500 companies
including Dove, Symantec and
American Express.
ScienceOfPeople.com
Who might make it difficult for
you to achieve your goals?
This can be anything from financial
constraints to unsupportive family
members to procrastination. Get real!
When we know what our blockers are,
we can work to plan around them. For
example, one of my goals for next year is
to read more. I know that if I don’t have
accountability to read I just won’t get it
done. I push it off, go to sleep, turn on
Netflix, you know the drill. So, I started
a Science of People Book Club to read with
my readers. +
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