Goal Setting and Consistency: Mind Tools Used to Gain Self Belief and Inspire Greatness in Others

Goal Setting based upon the theory of consistency are great mind tools which when properly used will allow you to achieve your dreams no matter how small or large.  Many of my clients are unable to achieve positive life changes because while they are proficient at goal setting they are unable to incorporate the use of consistency into their daily lives.  Consistency is the engine that creates physical and mental movement towards achieving your vision.  Goal setting without consistency is like a boat without a rudder…you are doomed to become lost on the way to achieving your goal.  When frustration sets in you will return to old, comfortable patterns of behavior and their resulting, unfulfilling dramas. Incorporating Consistency into Goal Setting… Whenever I ask my clients to brainstorm about goal setting they usually create a numerical list of specific circumstances that they believe would create greater joy in their lives.  However, they undoubtedly leave out the actual steps needed to manifest the specific goals.  We can’t get from point A to point B without taking little steps.  These steps are based upon the consistency of each and every one of a multitude of minor actions which must be in alignment with our larger goals. I believe unrealized goals are largely due to inconsistencies in daily practices.

Start Goal Setting by Taking Small Consistent Steps… Let’s take a look at one of my clients named Alice. After sending her home with a goal setting assignment, Alice came back to me with the simple vision of wanting to, “Always feel like her home was a comfortable place to live.” Next we decided to come to terms with why her home did not feel comfortable.  She determined the unkempt household created an overall feeling of mental confusion and tenseness. Once we determined the source of her unhappiness, she created a list of consistent actions which needed to be implemented in order to make her goal setting a reality.  A short discussion resulted in a list of three items that bothered her most and a way to resolve the problem:   A. Problem: Dirty clothes are left around the house and not picked up.     Solution: Consistently pick up all clothes each day before going to bed. B. Problem: Toys are not picked up after being used.     Solution:  Consistently put toys back before new ones were used. C. Problem: Kitty litter box is not regularly cleaned and trash is not taken out.     Solution: Consistently clean litter box and take out trash. Make Choices and take Action, Action, Action… I continued to work with Alice and we designed a goal setting strategy based entirely on consistency. When we make choices and take action momentum quickly builds and goal setting becomes an attainable reality. I did not want to overload Alice but I knew she had to take action by accomplishing just one simple goal through consistency in order to keep the home from feeling even more chaotic.  We started with the kitty litter box and the trash because it bothered her the most. Here we decided to assign her 14 year old son with the task of cleaning the litter box each and every day and to throw out all trash every other day. 

During the first month of change, her son had to focus on just one goal: consistently taking out the trash and changing the kitty litter box. Simplicity allowed Alice not to be overwhelmed by the multi tasking of the goals.  After 30 days, she realized the attainment of one simple goal and noticed an improvement in her home environment. The moment was powerful because it gave her a feeling of competency and greatly enhanced her self esteem. The More Action the Better… During the second month, Alice put a weekly schedule on the refrigerator where each of her 2 other children, ages 10 and 12, could share the task of picking up clothes and vacuuming.  Alice initially found it difficult to get them to participate.  However, it was easier for her to stay on task with her two younger children because her older son had already formed a habit of consistently cleaning the litter box and taking out the trash.

With singular focus, she became “consistent” towards remaining dedicated to the goal setting plan. She even designed a schedule whereby tasks were assigned to specific times in order not to conflict with important obligations such as school, study time and recreational activities. Assigned days and times removed all possibilities of excuses on her children’s behalf.

Picking up toys now seemed simple and easy because everyone’s self esteem improved as they began to enjoy home’s improved energy.  Consistently putting toys away was now a natural fit with the second goal of consistently picking up clothes.  More importantly, Alice’s real gift was the realization she could set a series of goals and not feel pressured to accomplish everything at once.  She only needed to move on to next item on the list after the previous goal was completed with some “consistency”. When you Achieve Your Goals you Inspire Others… The gift of this story is how goal setting combined with consistency of action will help you feel more accomplished and confident in creating positive life changes. Once Alice’s friends experienced the change in her home, they began to ask questions. Soon some her close friends implemented their own program of goal setting based on consistency. They like most of us now appreciate the power of goal setting combined with consistency of action...these are the mind tools of greatness. Namaste, San Dan Yi