Have you set yourself a new year’s resolution? What steps are you going to take right now to make sure that you achieve your goals?

In my other life, I sometimes coach teams and individuals to help them reach the full potential of their projects. I don’t supply the answers. Instead, through my questions, the coachee comes up with a plan of action for his or her own work. Because they drew up the plan, they feel ownership of the project and feel confident about their own ability to succeed.

As we get to New Year’s Resolution time, perhaps what we all need is a coach to help us set our goals. In the absence of someone to come in and do the job with us, we have to act as our own coach sometimes. This has its advantages; we’re the only ones who really understand what we’re aiming for.

By being realistic about what we want, and why we want it, we ensure that our goals have strong foundations – that’s the only way they’re going to grow big and strong! I’m not just talking running here –coaching questions can help you move forward in all kinds of areas where you feel like you’re at inertia. Though it would be nice if some of you used these for setting your running goals for 2013… As a result of a self-reflection session along these lines, I’m already signed up for 2 races in 2013.

The coaching model that I started off with is called the ‘grow’ model. Set aside some time to yourself, when you know you won’t be disturbed. With a notebook to hand, ask yourself each of the questions below, giving yourself time to reflect on the answers. It’s not a race and sometimes the first thing that comes into your head isn’t quite accurate when you think about it more deeply. Record your answers so you can reflect on them later, maybe when you’re having a little motivation blip, or just to remind yourself that you’re on the right track.

Goal

What would I like to achieve, specifically? (Be honest – sometimes the goal we state isn’t quite the same as the true reason.) Why would I like to achieve it? Is it achievable in my timeframe, or would it be better to split it up into smaller goals to keep myself motivated? What would a successful outcome look like? How will I measure success? Write down your goal, with the timeframe and the specific measurement that you’ll use.

Reality

Where am I currently? Have I experienced something similar in the past? What went well? How would I do it differently in the future? How far am I from my main goal currently?

Options

Brain storm your options for improvement. Discount nothing at this stage. Do you need more information and education? Do you need to bring someone else in to help ensure your success? Would signing up for something right now and publicising it make you more likely to do it? List everything!

Now prioritise. What barriers need to be overcome for my favourite options to work?

What Next?

What am I going to do NOW to make sure that I meet my goal? What early wins can I set up to keep me motivated on my way to my main goal?

Write down what you are going to do and when you are going to do it by. Put it somewhere that you, and other people, will see it and hold you accountable. Schedule in a time to reflect on how you’re progressing.

If you’d like, you could keep a record of the goal you’re going for in the comments here to make it public! You’ll be more likely to strive for it if you know you’ve got support here. #GROW2013