Tip Tuesday: Hard Work

How true is that? The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it.

If everything that happens to us is easy, how would we ever learn to work hard, to set goals, to focus, and to celebrate achievement.
Hard work, whether it be physical or intellectual, is a rite of passage for all of us. We need to instil in our students, our children, & our employees the importance of hard work. Remember it takes time to change, without hard work, change is very challenging. 
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When we want to grow our business or develop our practice, we need to set clear goals and develop a plan of action to help us get there. It takes time, it is not easy, but boy-o-boy does it feel awesome when we achieve those goals ✨

Think about your students and those huge ear-to-ear smiles when they finally figure something out or finish a project- it is awesome and so worth the celebration. Give yourself that feeling again- hard work then celebrate!

I bet most of us work hard in both our personal and professional life. I cannot imagine too many people heading off and saying 'today I am going to do a mediocre job'... Some days, many of us feel like I am just treading water to stay afloat. It's a pretty crappy feeling when you are trying so hard, yet it feels like you are getting nowhere. 

How can you turn your hard work into effective hard work? . It 

Hard Work becomes effective when we set clear plans & act intentionally. 

I am not talking about TO DO lists, calendars, and expectations- I am talking about clearly defined goals. Goals that you have created for yourself (with or without help) that have the end result of HUGE CELEBRATION!!! These goals require you to create a plan of action, to reflect often, and to act intentionally. 

HOW???

Goal tracking CAN BE easy when you spend the time to create a plan or a path forward. You must commit to your plan. Commit reflection time, commit revision time, and commit time each day to live intentionally. It is not realistic to work hard, yet feel like you are struggling and just not moving forward. 
 
Here is how:

• Identify your strengths
• identify BIG target areas
• identify LITTLE target areas
• build a plan
• consistently check-in with your plan

Year End Goal
Where do you want to be at the end of the year (or desired time frame)?
Pick a time frame that is achievable for the size of your goal.
Remember your SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely.
 
Half Year Goal
What is the last obstacle you must cross before you achieve your End Goal? This is subjective, but what do you feel is the last major hurdle you need to cross before you hit the home stretch?
This last obstacle is your Halfway Goal. It should be substantial, but after crossing it you have a clear view of the finish line.
Again, keep your SMART goals in mind.
 
 Year Start Goal
What is the last obstacle you must cross before you achieve your Halfway Goal? Again, this is subjective. What is that obstacle that once checked off your list, leaves your Halfway Goal in clear sight? This is your Start Goal.
We use backward chaining to identify our largest goals: End Goal, Halfway Goal, Start Goal. Next, let’s reverse gears and look at forward chaining.
 
 
 Mini-Goals aka ‘the reminders’
 When reflecting on the Start Goal, Halfway Goal, and Annual Goal, you need to have a clear focus on how you will achieve these goals. Weekly Goals act as consistent reminders to act on your goals.
 
You need to keep yourself accountable in order to achieve your goals, and the purpose of these little goals is to do just that.
 
Most of these mini-goals repeat week after week, and you may need to add, change, or delete some of them as you go.
 
Now What??

Now, you know about:
•    The Year End Goal
•    The Half Year Goal
•    The Year Start Goal
•    The Mini-Goals

But, how do you stay focused on the short-term large goals? Do you need to keep focused on the Annual Goal? Of course, but if you align your Start Goal and your Halfway Goal to your Annual Goal, you will always be on-course to attain your end goal, the Annual Goal.
 
Clear as mud? Hopefully not, but it is time to try!

Check out My inclusive Classroom's GOAL TRACKING MADE EASY to find out more about staying accountable & reaching your goals!




​Stay tuned for our latest and greatest - a short course on helping you set and achieve goals. Sometimes we need help, structure, and accountability. Our 30 day shape up will help you create a plan to achieve your goals