Release the New You with Goals, Focus and Inspiration

Last week, we hoped to have inspired you to Carpe Diem, Seize the Day. You are at the crossroads once again. Time to make hard decisions because your time is limited; your obligation to the military WILL END. In part 2, here are some steps to get you started in your decision-making process.

One of the best ways to start off a new year is to set goals. Many of us know enough about goal setting. Some are list makers who have the need to cross things off; and a few others who take it further but completing a task(s) only to add to the list so as to cross off and show a sense of accomplishment. It’s a start. With credit to the master self-development motivator, Brian Tracy:

“Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.” - BT

The past year was a year of unknowns, challenges, and taking inventory of what's most important to you. Your life may have been put on hold in a lot of ways, but you still have your eyes on the prize. With a new year on the horizon, Brian shares five goal setting tips that will help you reach new heights in the new year:

1.       Evaluate your progress

2.       Recognize your setbacks

3.       Adapt to your current reality

4.       Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound to a deadline)

5.       Write down your goals

After you write down your goals, make sure you review them regularly; in some cases every day if necessary. Don’t take your eyes off the prize. Ensure that you are on track with timely check-ins. It does not make sense to set a goal, work towards it but not do periodic checks leading to the deadline. Yes, include a deadline (as well as milestones) when you set (write down) your goal(s).

For example, a goal can be “To lose 12 pounds in three months (90 days).” One would certainly not wait until Day 89 to evaluate one’s progress. One would want to do it on a more regular basis; weekly, biweekly or at minimum, monthly (arguably less effective). This will help identify and recognize any setbacks and adjust fire accordingly. S-M-A-R-T would look like:

·       S – To lose weight

·       M – 12 pounds

·       A – others have achieved this

·       R – for better health

·       T – 90 days (three months); with bi-weekly weigh ins

The above is a basic example of written goal setting in S-M-A-R-T format. But it can be adaptable to almost any goal(s), professional and/or personal. There is a school of thought especially within start-ups to set impossible goals rather than the easier achievable ones. The premise is that by setting such lofty measures, one will work harder, be more determined, creative, think outside the box in order to surpass average human expectations. And if one fails to achieve these incredible numbers, the likelihood is strong that one will have crushed realistic objectives. Getting 90% of a super aggressive goal is better than achieving 100% of a simple one. And if you are uber-talented, you far exceeded normal expectations.

Goals direct your focus and attention to what you’d like to achieve. As you progress forward with your goals, you build more confidence with developing new habits; professional, personal, health, relationship, financial, etc. Moreover, you learn to hold yourself accountable.

Another suggestion to get focused and more productive in the new year is to follow the 80/20 Rule. With credit again to the great Brian Tracy, the 80/20 rule is one of the most helpful concepts for life and time management. Also known as the Pareto Principle, this rule suggests that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results.

As mentioned, the 80/20 rule is also called the “Pareto Principle.” It was named after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, in 1895. He noticed that people in society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the “vital few,” or the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the “trivial many,” or the bottom 80 percent. Later, he discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle, in that 80 percent of the wealth of Italy during that time was controlled by 20 percent of the population. One can take Pareto’s 80/20 rule and apply it to almost any situation. Understanding the principle is essential to learning how to prioritize your tasks, days, weeks, and months. For the purpose of this post, we will discuss applying it specifically to goal setting and productivity. 

The Pareto Principle is a concept that suggests two out of ten items, on any general to-do list, will turn out to be worth more than the other eight items put together. The sad fact is that most people procrastinate on the top 10 or 20 percent of items that are the most valuable and important, the “vital few,” and busy themselves instead with the least important 80 percent, the “trivial many,” that contribute very little to their success. First, take a piece of paper and write down ten goals. Then ask yourself: If you could only accomplish one of the goals on that list today, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on your life? Then pick the second most important goal. What you’ll find is, after you complete this exercise, you will have determined the most important 20 percent of your goals that will help you more than anything else. You should continue to work at those goals that you’ve chosen as the most valuable all the time.

Last week, we shared an excerpt of arguably one of most inspirational commencement speeches by the famous Steve Jobs. This week, we add another inspirational address this time from a military veteran. In 2014, Admiral William McRaven, who spent 36 years as a Navy SEAL, delivered the commencement address at his alma mater, the University of Texas. He revealed 10 life lessons he learned from his basic SEAL training.

Lesson No. 1:  If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed
“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day,” said, noting that he had to have a perfectly made bed as a SEAL.

Lesson No. 2: If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle
“You can’t change the world alone — you will need some help — and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the good will of strangers and a strong coxswain to guide them.

Lesson No. 3: If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers
“SEAL training was a great equalizer. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. Not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education and not your social status.”

Lesson No. 4: If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward
“Sometimes no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform you still end up as a sugar cookie. It’s just the way life is sometimes.”

Lesson No. 5: “If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses
The circus was a form of SEAL punishment for failing to meet physical standards during training. It consisted of two hours of extra calisthenics.

“The pain of the circuses built inner strength – built physical resiliency,” said McRaven, “Life is filled with circuses. You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core.”

Lesson No. 6: If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first
McRaven said that a SEAL student broke an obstacle course record when he became the first person to take it on head-first. “It was a dangerous move — seemingly foolish, and fraught with risk. It only took him half (the) time.”

Lesson No. 7: If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks
“There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them.”

Lesson No. 8: If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment
“Every SEAL knows that under the keel, at the darkest moment of the mission — is the time when you must be calm, composed — when all your tactical skills, your physical power and all your inner strength must be brought to bear."

Lesson No. 9: If you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud
During Hell Week in the SEALs, students spend hours neck deep in bone-chilling cold mud. But one student started singing and then they all sang along, helping them get through the ordeal.

Lesson No. 10: If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell
This lesson refers to the brass bell in the center of training camp. If a student rings the bell, he can leave the SEALs.

McRaven said, “Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training. Just ring the bell.” In other words, don’t ever quit.

 Write out your goals, stay laser focused and above all just DFQ!

Welcome to this blog. In this series, we will reminisce about that we did not think we would ever miss before we got out; hopefully with a good dose of healthy humor. With tips, tricks and secrets to reintegrating back to the civilian workforce and with the proper mindset. And we welcome positive feedback from those of us who have already made the transition to the real world. xUSAmp is a group of determined veterans, allies and family members who have worked in corporate HR and specialize in preparing veterans and military spouses to transition to corporate America.