You’ve probably have heard the phrase, “You have not, because you ask not” and many of you maybe have been raised on that phrase just like I was. My mom taught me two things about asking: you have not because you ask not, and also, you’ll get what you ask for, so just ask.
Therefore, I have realized, the three keys to you achieving any goal (health, money, career, relationship) are to A.S.K.
“A” is affirmative specifics, which means describing exactly and specifically what it is you want. So, your goal is not to lose some weight, but your goal is to lose exactly how much
Photo Credit, Xurble.
weight and why. What are you going to do when you’re at that weight loss goal? Your goal is not to make more money, but exactly how much money do you want to make. I’m confident enough to tell you, you will make that money when you participate in the knowledge we have to share.
Remember, S.M.A.R.T. goals go with affirmative specifics.
“S” stands for specific. As specific as you can be about the goal and what surrounds the goal.
“M” stands for measurable. It needs to be something measurable; not some, not more, not better, but measurable, a number.
“A” stands for attainable. Has it been done? Is it attainable? Has someone already accomplished this goal that you want to achieve?
“R” is realistic for you, real for you. If you make $10,000 a year, it might not be realistic to say you want to make $100,000 right away. But if you already make $80,000, it’s more realistic to go up just a bit more. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming; you just don’t want to get discouraged by setting your sights too high and failing before you have a solid plan to follow through and really make it happen.
“T” is time sensitive; it’s got to have a date on it.
Those are some things that make-up “affirmative specifics.” Ask yourself the question about any goal you’ve set. Do you have the affirmative specifics, have you really defined out the specifics of that goal?
Step number two, the “S” in ASK, is skills & tools. Do you know how to get this done? Do you know what tools to use? I’ll tell you, it’s always been the case with me that when I’ve fallen short, when I haven’t achieved a goal, it’s because I don’t know how. I’ve not looked at how to get the job done. I ask myself, “What do I need to learn, what tools do I need to use?” Then I can figure it out. If you don’t know what you don’t know, go to somebody who is achieving the goal that you want to achieve. Look at what they know how to do and learn how to do that.
Lastly, the “K” stands for kindred action. Kindred means related. Related action. Are you taking a related action according to your goal, to these skills and tools you acquire? We all leave an event or finish an online training or whatever the case might be, and we go take some action. Our action might be to sit on a couch and change channels, it might be to pay bills for the day, it might be to go hang out with somebody who you love. Is your action related to your goals? Is it a kindred action you are taking? When you set the goals specifically, you know what skills and tools you need and you take a related action toward this, you will achieve the goal, no matter what the goal is.
So now very simply, I have one question for you. Looking at ASK, think about a money goal you’ve had and ask yourself, “Where did I maybe fall short?” Did you set a very affirmative specific? If you did, did you know what skills and tools you needed? And did you take the kindred action you needed to take to get there. Because my friend, when you ASK, you get.