Speaking your goals is powerful

There’s a lot of noise on line about setting goals; planning for 2016. Lots of worksheets, colouring in exercises, vision boards, which are very powerful. However, from experience and also proven studies show that sharing your goals and targets with others increases the chances of succeeding.

Setting goals can be quite a ‘private’ activity and even vision boards could have a very personal meaning, that have no meaning to other people. There are huge advantages to sharing your goals and targets vocally – and by this I don’t mean posting on a social media site. Listen to the podcast here.

By speaking and sharing your goals and targets you can:

• Reaffirm your values. Sometimes you learn things about yourself from the act of sharing your goals and targets vocally to others. it can be a way to clarify what is important; what your priorities are. Taking time to focus on your values can be beneficial.
• Ask others for help. Once you have declared what your intentions are, the other person might have ideas to help you fulfil these intentions, or be able to help you.
• Once you state your intentions, they can become real. The fact you have said them to someone else, means they are REAL and you are accountable!
• While you are sharing your goals and targets vocally, you need to be very specific to make others understand exactly what you mean. Being more specific also helps you to have a better understanding of your goals and the chance of reaching them.

Dr Ellen Klemera, Research Fellow in Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Hertfordshire said “Psychological research indicates that sharing your goals and targets with friends, colleagues and associates can boost your chances of succeeding. the study showed that people who shared their goals with their friends by speaking them and updated them on their progress succeeded 75% of the time.” This is powerful information.

In the latest Superstar Communicator’s podcast, I deliver a masterclass on sharing your goals by speaking them. Listen here.

How could you do this effectively. Here are a couple of ideas – I am sure you have more too!

• Arrange a Skype meeting or phone call with a friend or colleague to share goals. I would recommend you setting a few of these ‘meetings’ and conversations throughout the year to review how you are progressing.
• Arrange to meet an individual or people for coffee to share your intentions – again have follow up sessions.
• Record your voice speaking your intentions. This not only helps you understand your intentions, but is a record of intention.
• You could also do this with a video; this would work particularly well if you are speaking through your vision board.
• Create a mastermind group where you share your goals for the year; review them frequently and be accountable.

Good luck with your goal setting. If you would like to work on your communication skills, why not attend the latest Executive Presence Masterclass on 21st January in Central London. We are working on your message; voice, body language and charisma.