As a coach, speaker, trainer and author, I strive to get results for my clients. My biggest challenge – it’s not up to me to get them. It’s not up to me to choose the goals or achieve them. It’s not what I want, it’s what the client wants.
My role is to provide a path to get there. In other words, I bring the tool box and we collaboratively figure out which tools to use and how to use them. Any project will require tools to complete. So which tools do we need?
A conversation I had recently with a client pushed me to take a look at the toolbox I carry with me and figure out which tools are required for any effort. A few thoughts crossed my mind. Do I have the right tools? Do I have too many tools? Am I offering the right tools for the project?
After reflecting on this idea for a while, I came to the conclusion that there are 3 tools needed to achieve success in any project we take on. I am certainly not suggesting that these are the only tools you will need but these 3 tools are the ones you better take out of the toolbox before you even look at the blueprint.
You Can Only Get Here From There!
TOOL 1 – AWARENESS
When I speak to people and ask them about their goals, I get all kinds of responses. Some are simply the “one-liner conceptual type” and others are full of detail and very specific. I love to follow this up with a question. Where did you come up with that idea? This is where it get’s interesting. “I don’t know, I just think that would be real nice to achieve that.” Or, “Well I want more than what I have now and that is more.”
Most people set their goals upon only that which they know. They never even consider that there might be options that they have not even thought about. That conversation I had allowed that person to enter into the awareness of possibility she had never thought about before. All it took was a few curious questions she had never asked herself.
Stepping To The Line Of Intention Is Only The Beginning
TOOL 2 – INTENTIONALITY
Nothing happens without setting the intention for it. Sure, life happens but I’m not talking about life happening to you, I’m talking about “intentionally” happening to life. Peter Drucker said; “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” (Tweet This / Post to LinkedIn)
Drucker is spot on. If you want to achieve anything of significance in life, you need to be intentional about it. Do you think the Seattle Seahawk defense figured because they were the #1 rated defense this year, they could just show up to the Super Bowl and perform? Not hardly. I know enough about the game of football to know they were very intentional about everything that happened on the field in New Jersey on Sunday.
Who Are You When Someone Else “Is Watching?”
TOOL 3 – ACCOUNTABILITY
You need the awareness and you need to set the intention but without the tool of accountability you are simply rolling the dice on whether or not you will be successful. I am not saying you can’t accomplish great things on your own but let’s be real. If you could do it on your own, it would already be done and it wouldn’t be on your list anymore. Make sense?
The simple fact is we perform better when someone else is watching. If they are going to watch, they might as well call us out when we need it. Quit fooling yourself by saying “this time will be different.” The only way it will be different is if you make it different.
So I have a little different type of challenge for you today. Think about these 3 tools and then think about someone that you know that carries these with them. Go talk to that person and ask them how they use those tools to find success in their endeavors. You never know, they just might make a pretty good accountability partner as well!
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Barry Smith 2/3/14 photo by Author © Building What Matters 2014
