Agency + Pathways

Struggling to achieve a goal? It can help to try a new approach.

Instead of simply deciding on an end result and just going for it, why not try this two-step strategy:

+ Agency: Boost your belief 

In order to achieve a goal, you need to believe you can. This seems obvious, right? But so many people aim for results that don’t actually feel realistic [a job they don’t feel qualified for, a relationship they don’t feel worthy of, a sense of confidence they’ve never experienced].

There are practical steps you can take, to boost belief in your own capacity to achieve:

• Recall [and write down] achievements you’ve had in the past. These can be big and small and related or unrelated to the current goal
• Make a list of all the resources you have available to you. These can include internal resources such as determination or knowledge and external resources such as time or space or money.
• Consider all the people supporting you and make a note of one practical thing that each might be able to do to help

+ Pathways: knowing how

In order to achieve a goal, you also need to know how to get there. Instead of having one single goal-attainment strategy, focus on identifying heaps of different pathways to get you to that desired end-result.

So, for example you were aiming to start a brilliant, evidence-based coaching practice. Instead of just focusing on finishing your Masters degree you could write down a whole lot of steps such as: research the current field; make contacts in the industry; start a blog; secure some media coverage; take on a pro-bono client [making clear that you’re still working towards a qualification]; and develop a website.

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Employing a new goal-striving approach is a great idea when you find yourself Seriously Stuck. Maintaining a focus on Agency + Pathways will boost your sense of hope and get you achieving, once again.

Tags: life-coaching, Melbourne